Legends Retold
by GuardianAngel1234567
Summary: Book-loving Adela Sanchez loves listening to her Ancestors' stories...but she never thought she'd reenact it with her two childhood friends. When she discovers a part of the story she never knew really existed, she has to muster up the courage to save all worlds from a forgotten evil. This exciting story shows that everyone has a story to tell and a part to play in life.
1. Epilogue

_They say that the World is made up of stories. Some are true, others are made up. Then there are stories which hold secrets and stories which are yet to be discovered. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone has a part to play._

* * *

><p>In the darkness of the night, three children, two boys and one girl flash their lights in the shadows of a forest.<p>

"I can't believe I let you guys talk me into this." The girl complained, "Now we're lost."

"Well we wouldn't have been if Mr. Softy here wasn't chasing a stinkin' bug." One boy pointed to the other.

"It was a beautiful butterfly." The boy corrected. Suddenly, a rustling noise can be heard in the bushes."

"Oh no." The girl cringed.

"Don't tell us you believed in that old campfire story, do you?" One of the boys teased, only for both of them to cringe upon hearing another rustle.

"Over there!" The other boy spotted a light and was heading straight for it. The others followed.

Suddenly, the girl slipped and fell down a crevice. As she got up, several glowing eyes were staring straight at her. The eyes moved closer and to her horror, she was surrounded by a nest of snakes. One of the snakes, bigger than the rest, crept towards her and began opening its mouth...

"Don't even think about it." A man's voice called causing the snakes to slither away from the girl, "This one's alright."

The girl looked up. Standing before her was a man. He was wearing a black and white robe adorned with multicolored feathers.

"Hello there Little One. Where are your friends?" He asked with a smile. When she didn't answered, he held a hand towards her, "Oh you're lost aren't you. Well its alright."

Before long, the girl found herself being carried by the man. As he walk to who knows where, the girl began drifting to sleep...

"I never would have thought I would find someone like you. You're quite a special child you know." Those were the last words she heard.

The next thing she knew, she found herself sleeping under the shade of a tree. It was daytime and she realized she was back at the Campsite. Still, she wondered if it was all a dream. That's when she noticed a multicolored feather on her lap...

* * *

><p>"The little girl never knew if it was all a dream or not, but she did learn one thing; always listen to your elders. You may never know what lies beyond the path you are about to take." A woman said to her audience of eager grade-school children. Just then the bell ran, "Class Dismissed."<p>

"Miss Adela, did the girl really see a ghost?" A brown-haired boy asked accompanied by four more kids.

"Well..."

"Did she ever told her friends about it?" A black haired girl asked.

"Did she saw more ghost after?" A blond little girl jumped excitedly, "Did she swore never again to become afraid in the face of danger no matter how much challenges there ar..."

"Okay, when were you kids this interested in class?" The teacher asked skeptically, "Last year, you kids were busy aiming spitballs at the blackboard than aiming for top in the class."

"Let's just say our last field trip was 'magical'." A blond boy sheepishly grinned as he and his companions left.

"Ms. Adela, whatever happened to the girl?" The blond girl asked.

"Well," The teacher knelt down to face the girl, "all I can say is, it's for you to figure out."

"Sasha, come on!" The black haired girl called.

The little girl skipped towards her friends as the teacher reached into her neck and pulled out a necklace. It was adorned with beads and on the middle was a multicolored feather.

* * *

><p><strong>Any ideas for 6 more gods that will appear in the story? Let me know. ;) (3 boys and 3 girls)<strong>


	2. Myths & Stories

Children roam the entire hallway of the school. In the midst of the stampede, a woman with long black hair tied to a pony-tail and wearing glasses easily found her way through the rebellious crowd of children, despite keeping her eyes on a book.

"Adela!" Two identical girls, twins, approached her from either side. One had long red hair while the other one has short red messy hair.

"Gina. Tina." Adela greeted back, still engrossed in her book.

"So..." Both Twins said in unison.

"So?" Adela asked causing both Twins to look at each other in confusion.

"You do realize its tonight, right?" The long-haired twin, Gina, asked.

"What?" Adela asked, still reading the book.

"The Masquerade Ball! Duh!" The short-haired twin, Tina, replied, "Surely you of all people would know even..."

"They didn't ask me." Adela quickly parted from the two only to have her book yanked from her, "Hey!"

"Yet." Tina waved the book in front of her, "They didn't ask you _yet_."

Adela just rolled her eyes as she grabbed her book and headed for the door.

"You know what?" Gina asked, "You're lucky. It's not every day a girl becomes best friends with a guy who ends up becoming famous like a World renowned Adventurer or a passionate Artist."

"And you, Adela Sanchez, get the best of both Worlds." Tina added.

"Oh please." Adela retorted, "I'm not the only girl they send postcards to."

"You're the only girl who gets hand-crafted postcards sprayed with expensive rare perfumes." Gina corrected, "_Signed __with__ Love._"

"You know what? Forget this." Tina said as she and her sister each grabbed Adela by the arm.

Before Adela can protest, she was already shoved into the Twins' car as they drove to who-knows-where.

* * *

><p>In a local museum, people worked tirelessly setting up the decorations for the Masquerade Ball.<p>

"I can't tell you how grateful I am that you generously agreed to this." The Mayor said to the Curator of the Museum as his Secretary took notes.

"Don't mention it." The Curator replied, "Too be honest, this place could use some entertainment. _According to the staff._" Both men laughed at this. That's when a tall pole was about to fall on them and the Secretary. Thankfully they were lassoed away to safety by a rope before the pole could even fall on them.

"You Gentlemen and Lady alright?" Asked a man with brown hair and mustache. His outfit looks fit for an Adventurer, complete with a ten-gallon hat.

"You never stop attracting danger, do you Miguel?" The Mayor chuckled as the hero helped him up.

"No need to mention that, Mayor Rivera." Miguel replied, "You already gave me the honor in sponsoring the highlight of the show."

"It's the least he can do after you retrieved those lost artifacts in Aztec." The Curator stated.

"_And a bonus._" The Mayor whispered as he placed an arm on Miguel, winking at him. The moment was interrupted by the sound of someone chiseling on marble. Turns out, a nearby Artist was doing just that as he was sculpting a statue in an image of a winged snake.

"_Bueno! Magnifico! Esplendido!_" The Artist exclaimed with pride, "If I do say myself."

"Juan!" The Mayor patted his shoulder in approval, "You have outdone yourself! Have you seen anything more alive and magnificent in your life?"

"I could really see the resemblance." The Curator said, "You really captured the ferocity of the Winged Serpent."

The Secretary looked up from her clipboard only to scream at the sight of the sculpture before her.

"Well... it's something, alright." The Secretary fibbed.

"Isn't it?" Mayor Rivera appeared behind her, "Can you just feel the intense fear lingering inside you? Eyes staring straight into your very soul, as if they were made to never, ever let go..."

"If you'll excuse me Gentlemen." The Secretary left, no doubt crept out by the sculpture and the Mayor's rambling.

"Shall we check the catering?" The Curator asked. The Mayor agreed and the two men left, leaving the Artist and Adventurer to glare at each other.

"Juan." The Adventurer crossed his arms.

"Miguel." The Artist crossed his as well, "It seams Fate has brought us together, yet again."

"Oh you bet it did little brother of mine." Miguel replied, "And on this very special day of all days."

"Just like your 12th Birthday Party?" Juan mocked.

"It was the Clown! He was out to get me!" Miguel protested, sounding like a kid before clearing his throat, "But this time, I shall be the one who will emerge victorious."

"Ha!" Juan retorted, "Jokes on you, Brother, for it is I for whom Fate shall smile upon!"

"Then the race is on!" Miguel flipped down the tip of his hat, partly covering his eyes.

"May the best man...win." Juan's firm expression melted into a love struck face. Miguel turned his gaze at his brother's direction, only to have his eyes widened at the sight before them.

A car pulled up to a corner. Out emerged two red-heads, but both men had their eyes glued to their black-haired companion... before glaring at each other yet again.

"I can't believe I let you girls drag me into this." Adela complained.

"Don't you want closure?" Gina asked.

"I thought _you_ wanted closure." Adela corrected before spotting the Mayor's Secretary who looked like she was about to barf, "Clavel!"

"About time you got here." The Secretary turned to face them before gesturing with her hand, "Your Knights in shining armor awaits."

The three turned their gaze to where she was gesturing. The Twins sighed while Adela crossed her arms at the sight of two men fighting each other. Either one was preventing the other from getting any nearer to the girls (or at least one of them).

"Not this again." Adela rolled her eyes as she moved towards the two men, "Hey guys."

The men stopped fighting and stared at her with glee.

"Adela!" Both men cried before glaring and slapping each other like little kids.

"Back from your trip, I suppose?" Adela asked.

"Ah yes." Juan replied, "The sunset at Italy shimmers like gold..."

"She was talking to me!" Miguel nudged him aside, "I was in the forest. Alone I walked. Then a serpent..."

"She, was, talking, to ME!" Juan retorted, causing both men to argue once more.

"I wish they were fighting over me." Tina sighed.

"_Si._" Gina agreed.

"Cue the slapping." Clavel said dead-panned.

Sure enough, both men were slapping each other. At the same time, they tried to ask something to Adela but both brothers covered each others mouth.

"You're asking me out to the Masquerade Ball tonight." Adela guessed. Both men nodded their heads. Once they took their hands off each others mouth, she placed an arm around each brother, "This is great. It'll be just like old times. A Night of Celebration for three _friends_." She emphasized the last word before pulling away from both dazed and confused men.

"Oh. Yeah. Friends." Miguel laughed nervously as the two turned to face their _friend_.

"_Si. Amigos. Compadres._" Juan chuckled nervously as well.

"Great. See you guys tonight." Adela waved good-bye to the two.

"Victory shall be mine tonight!" Miguel proclaimed triumphantly.

"You wish, brother." Juan mocked.

"First one to win her gets her hand in marriage by the end of _Dia de los Muertos_?" Miguel proposed.

"You're on!" Juan shook Miguel's hand before both men slapped each other in the face with gloves.

"So...?" Gina excitedly asked when Adela returned.

"I said 'yes'." Adela replied causing the Twins to scream while Clavel just rolled her eyes.

"Which one?" Tina asked.

"Here's an idea;" Adela proposed, "Why don't you two fix yourself for tonight, and then you'll find out which one?"

"Great idea." Tina squealed.

"Let's go!" Gina dragged her sister towards the car and the Twins drove away, leaving Adela with Clavel.

"It's like watching an audience watching their favorite Telenovela." Clavel said before hearing her name called, "Gotta go. Good Luck with your Dates."

"Good Luck with yours." Adela teased.

"Very funny." Clavel flashed her a sarcastic smile before leaving.

Adela turned her sight towards the Museum.

* * *

><p>The hallways of the Museum were silent and dark. Not a single sound was heard, except for the echoing heels of a lone woman. She turned her gaze at the numerous artifacts and paintings that hung in the wall. What she found most intriguing were portraits and pictures depicting ancient myths and legends of heroes in their triumph and immortal deities who shaped the world.<p>

Oh how she loved stories. It was like a whole new world before her. It was as if every character was real and every conflict was an exciting challenge worth facing for. But that wasn't the only reason why she became an English Teacher.

"Excuse me, Miss?" Adela turned around... only to come face with a gruesome monstrous face!

She screamed and fell back. It took her only a few seconds to realize that it was only a mask in display and the voice came from a man hiding from behind the display.

"I'm guessing you're here for the new exhibits." The man held out his hand and helped her up. Before she could answer, he adjusted his glasses, "That or you're trying to clear your mind by indulging in the myths and legends depicted in ancient artifacts wondering 'What would they do in a situation like this?'."

Adela blinked in surprised, but before she could ask...

"If you're going to work in a Museum, you might as well be observant of everything around you." The man replied, surprising her even more.

"Sorry." Adela turned towards a painting depicting a bullfighter fighting a bull, "I just needed a place to think." She continued to stare at the painting at the same time gaining a flashback...

* * *

><p><em>"The bull was tough, and fierce, but the lone bullfighter showed no fear and wrestled the bull to the ground." An elderly man tickled a little girl in bed just as an elderly woman entered the room.<em>

_"Ay Angelo. Another Bullfighter story?" The woman shook her head in amusement before handing the little girl a glass of milk, "You'll give her nightmares."_

_"Ah Rosa, the Little One needs to learn her family ancestry." Angelo turned to the little girl, "Isn't that right, Nieta?"_

_"Tell me another one. Another one!" The little girl pleaded as her Grandmother placed her on her lap._

_"Well, did Abuelo tell you of the time one of your great grandpapi tamed a bull, just by singing?" Rosa asked._

_"He did?" The little girl's eyes widened in wonder. She had heard stories of her ancestors performing death-defying feats in order to overwhelm the bulls before killing them, but never has she heard of taming one with music._

_"It was a test of Courage." Her Grandmother went on, "A challenge given to him by a god. A challenge he must face in order to return to his One True Love. Instead of following tradition and killing the bull, he sung and asked for forgiveness. All anger vanished from the bull and your ancestor was spared. He was able to prove on that very day that forgiveness was greater than hate, and that Love can rekindle what once was thought was lost."_

_"And did he live Happily Ever After?" The girl asked with excitement in her voice._

_"Well he can't be the only one with a Happy Ending now, can he?" The Grandmother continued, "Everyone had a part to play in that story; your great Grandmama learned to be strong and fight for what's right. Your great Grand Uncle learned that being a true hero means being selfless. Your great, great, Grandpapa learned to love his son for who he is. And as for the god... well, he learned that all humans are not all cold-hearted and selfish as he thought they would be. He casted away those old beliefs so that he could also be with his One True Love."_

_"Do I have my own story, Abuela?" The little girl asked as they tuck her in bed._

_"Ay, Nieta." Angelo bent down to kiss his Granddaughter on the forehead before taking off his sombrero and putting it on her head, "You're our little Treasure."_

_As soon as the little girl fell asleep, her grandparents turned off the lights and left her room. But even Grandparents should know how their stories affect the little ones..._

_Once the Grandparents left, the little girl's blanket fell off her bed as a shadow of a bull loomed behind the shadow of the girl..._

_"Might I have this dance, Tory?" The little girl raised her stuffed bull and lead him in a Waltz. She led him to the balcony where she gazed on the stars..._

* * *

><p>"Hey!" Adela turned around only to find a security guard holding a growling dog in a lease glaring at her, "What are you still doing here?"<p>

"Sorry Gary." The young man apologized before she could answer, "I couldn't help keeping my mouth shut and this fine specimen came in..."

"Blah, blah, BLAH!" The security guard, clearly annoyed, turned his back at them and left, pulling the Guard Dog with him, "Whatever. Just get her out of here before you get us both into trouble."

"Will do." The man replied.

"I guess I really should be going." Adela blushed while glancing at his ID, "Thanks anyway, Julio."

"I'm guessing you have a busy date tonight." Julio smiled, "Or two."

"Ever consider becoming a Fortune Teller?" Adela asked, causing the two to laugh awkwardly at her joke, although she couldn't stop staring at the bullfighter painting.

"You know, Legends spoke of a bullfighter who once tamed a bull by singing." Julio said as if reading her mind.

"Huh? Oh really?" Adela tried to contain the surprise in her voice. A few minutes ago she was reminiscing her Ancestor's story, and now here she was listening to a Museum Worker telling her an identical story about a singing bullfighter and a bull. But it couldn't be the same story... Right?

"You seem to be really engrossed in that painting." Julio noted.

"And you must really know your Myths and Legends." Adela complimented back as the two blushed, before finally breaking the silence, "Well, thanks again. It was a pleasure meeting you, Julio."

"As have I, Miss Adela." Julio replied.

"You're quite the observer aren't you?" Adela conked an eyebrow.

"Don't get that much compliment all the time." Julio joked as the two laughed again as Adela left the Museum, but not before taking one last glance at Mr. Observant.

As she reached the outside of the Museum, she glanced at Juan choosing the decorations for the party and at Miguel lifting a bench filled with his adoring fans. Both boys were once her best friends, although sometimes the two would often get them into trouble. One time, they went camping and got lost in the woods. Adela would have definitely been Snake Chow if it hadn't been for her mysterious rescuer. Of course she kept that last part to herself.

As time passed, the friends went to pursue their own dreams, yet they kept in touch with each other over the years. And as the years passed, Friendship eventually blossomed to Love...in the Brothers' dreams.

Many think Adela as the Luckiest Girl Alive. How many girls can befriend a guy who would eventually turn into a Celebrity every other girl wants to marry? Of course, to every other girl, its a Dream Come True. To Adela, it's like finding the right key that would open the door to your own personal comfort bedroom.

"Come on. It has got to be there."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice. A child-like voice. She glanced at her left, only to find the five kids from earlier, her students, staring and examine a corner of the Museum as if looking for a Secret Entrance.

"No, no, no! And I was looking forward to this all year." The black-haired girl complained.

"Jane?" The kids jerked their heads towards their teacher who was approaching them with a curious look in her face, "Sasha? Sanjay? Joao? Gothy? What are you kids doing here?

"Oh you know..."

"Nothing much..."

"Just, uh..."

"We'll looking for the Secret Entrance!" Four pair of glaring eyes turned their gaze at Sasha, "But I thought we were going to hear another story."

"Another story? Secret Entrance?" Adela asked as she placed a hand on the wall. Somehow on contact, some of the bricks began moving backward, revealing a small gap in the wall that a person could easily pass through.

"Yay! Thanks Ms. Adela!" Sasha hugged her teacher before heading for the newly-made entrance.

The others followed her in worry, calling out her name and leaving their teacher dumbstruck in surprise. But that didn't stop her from following them, concerned of their safety and noticing her necklace glowing.

* * *

><p>"Kids? Kids!" Adela called frantically. Its a good thing she was carrying a flashlight, otherwise she would be lost in the darkness of, wherever she was, "If you're planning to make-up for those pass few months of good behavior and sneak up on me, I would really appreciate it."<p>

Suddenly she heard some familiar child-like voices and rushed to that direction. She stopped in front a light that seem to be eliminating from a room. As soon as she turned off her flashlight and entered the room, her jaw dropped at the sight before her; intricate Mexican designed dazzled the walls as if telling a story of how Time began. The corners of the room were filled with Mexican artifacts. But what really caught her attention was the large mural in the center of the room... and the five kids standing in front of what seem to be a book twice their size, the Book of Life.

"Who do you think that is?" Sanjay asked, staring quizzing at the mural of strange creatures. Some looked more human than others. His gaze was mostly at a man with long black hair with white streaks, white skin and wearing a multi-colored robe.

"Maybe he's a Mexican Circus Clown." Sasha suggested.

"I don't like the way this one's looking at me." Goth Kid said, referring to the picture of a masked rock-skinned creature glaring at him as if ready to aim one of the weapons he's wielding at him.

"I like the way this one's looking at me." Joao pointed to a picture of a woman with scarlet braided hair wearing a dress that seems to be made of flowers.

"Hey look!" Jane pointed to the bottom section of the mural which held three figures.

One was a woman with white skin and long black hair wearing a red dress and a large sombrero filled with candles and marigolds.

Another was a black creature wearing a conquistador's uniform. His large black raven-like wings spread out threatingly as he wields a purple snake-like staff.

Right below the two was a jolly bearded fat man that would have been mistaken as Santa if it were not for his golden skin.

"Alright. La Muerte, Xibalba and the Candlemaker." Sanjay exclaimed.

"You kids must have really enjoyed yourself here, huh?" The kids turned their gaze to their teacher who approached them as she gazed at the mural, "Those two ruled The Land of The Remembered and The Land of The Forgotten. As long as the dead are remembered and loved, they are sent to the Land filled with joy and festivities."

"And if they're forgotten and hated, they get sent to the land filled with darkness and disappear." Jane added dramatically.

"Let's not forget the big old jolly fat guy who watches over the candles of the Living." Goth Kid added.

"Wow." Adela complemented in surprise, "You kids were really paying close attention to your Tour Guide, huh?"

"She sure was something." Joao sighed.

"Okay. Do you know who that is?" Adela asked, pointing to the man at the center wearing a multi-colored robe.

"N-no. She never told us about that guy." Sanjay admitted.

"That's Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent. Or otherwise known as the King of the Gods." Adela said, "Together with his Sister, Tezcatlipoca, they kept the balance of the World in Peace and Harmony. Of course, they used to."

"'Used to?'" Sasha asked. Adela sadly nodded her head.

"Quetzalcoatl loved humans, Tezcatlipoca didn't." She went on, "She tried to destroy the entire Human race, but her brother stopped her with help from the other gods." She then heard a grunting noise and turned her head towards Joao and Goth Kid who were trying to open the Book of Life.

"It won't budge." Goth Kid complained.

"Hey. Be careful with that. You might...damage something." Adela managed to get both boys off the Book and opened its cover. Her eyes widened in surprise at the page before her.

"That's Manolo!" Sanjay cried in glee upon seeing the story that was told to them before.

"And Maria!" Sasha added.

"And Joaquin." Jane added rushing to her teacher's side and turning the page, "That's them when they were kids."

"And that's them as adults." Sanjay flipped another page.

"And that's Manolo journeying in the Land of the Forgotten and making a wager with Xibalba." Jane flipped on another page, "He had to fight all the bulls his ancestors killed. It was a challenge he had to face,"

"So that he could return to his One True Love." Adela finished, remembering her Grandparents' story. She turned to another page. It showed Manolo and Maria getting married. Another page showed two gods holding each other in a passionate embrace. She and the children were so engrossed in the story that they didn't notice someone was approaching them from behind.

"You know its not everyday we get visitors after Closing Time." A familiar voice caused the group to turn around in surprise, but only calmed down when they realized that it was only the Curator.

"Sorry. We were just leaving." Adela nervously closed the Book of Life as she rounded up the children.

"Don't worry about it. Always open to welcome curious minds, Ms. Sanchez." The Curator assured, surprising her.

As soon as the group left, he walked towards the Book of Life. Once he was a few feet away from it, his head jerked.

Two blurs zipped across the room until they simultaneously landed on the ground right in front of the Curator. They materialized into two towering beings; one was wearing a red dress with a matching red sombrero. Another wore a black conquistador's uniform clutching a snake staff.


	3. A Familiar Scenery

**Your ****favorite**** immortal couple returns in this modern sequel of The Book of Life.**

**Kate del Castillo****: A few centuries have passed and their love remains unchanged.**

**Ron Perlman: She's still sweet. He's still, a little bit slippery. But nothing could ever tear these two ****apart****.**

**Xibalba: Well this is a familiar scenery. Two boys,**

**La Muerte: in a surprising twist, brothers no less,**

**Both: in love with the same girl.**

**Miguel and Juan: Aah! We're okay!**

**Both gods: Ugh.**

**The Book of Life: Legends Retold**

* * *

><p>The Curator just stood there, gazing at the towering figures. Finally, one of them spoke...<p>

"You know you could at least move the Secret Entrance. That would get rid of any snoopy humans." The Curator just flashed an amused smile at the Lord of The Land of The Forgotten as he turned towards the Book of Life.

"I think it was sweet of them to remember." The Lady of The Land of The Remembered smiled as she took her husband by the arm. The god's face immediately softens as his staff turned into a two-headed snake. It slithered away to give them some privacy.

"I never got tired of reading this one." The Curator patted both the snake's head as he opened the Book of Life and landed on Manolo's story.

"Happiest Day of our lives." Xibalba sighed.

"Just like our first flight together." La Muerte added, "The Moon shining brightly."

"The wind blowing through your hair." Xibalba stared into her eyes.

"The soft chirping of the Doves." La Muerte stared into his.

"The twinkling stars."

"The smell of roses."

"Oh it was the perfect moment."

"Until Xochi released the hounds." Both gods scowled at the memory.

"It was supposed to be _doves _not _dogs_." A female tour guide entered the room, protesting, "I had a Nasal Infection on that day. How was I supposed to know there's a difference between mint and poison ivy?"

"The same way you knew interfering with the love affairs of mortals from two bickering families will eventually lead to the Spanish Revolution?" A security guard answered sarcastically, "Oh wait. You didn't."

The tour guide glared at the guard before being engulfed in a tornado of rose petals. When the tornado died down, from where the women once stood was another woman as tall as the two deities. She had peach skin, braided scarlet hair adorned with roses and she was wearing a dress with a skirt that looked like it was completely made out of a giant red rose.

"At least I didn't turn a friendly race into Hurricane Inez." The woman retorted back.

The security guard glared at her in return before being engulfed in a flurry of feathers. When it died down, a humanoid eagle stood in the guard's place as it gave an ear-piercing screech before glaring once again at the being before him.

"You want to say that again, Ms. Overdressed Pinecone?" The eagle taunted.

"Bring it on, you pile of feather dusters." The woman glowered back.

The two beings stood there growling and glaring with each other as if a fight was about to erupt. And it did... in a form of a childish slap fight.

"This again you guys?" Xibalba asked as La Muerte shook her head. That's when they both turned their heads to a barking noise.

"Sit! Stay! Heel! And they say dogs are man's best friends." The security guard from earlier complained as he struggles to control the guard dog. Then the two deities passed him, pulling each others hair, "Oh hey Ehecatl. Hey Xochi."

The security guard's eyes widened as he let the lease slip out from his hold. A flash of light engulfed his body. Soon the two bickering gods were picked up by two massive rock-like hands.

"Whoa! Whoa! Break it up, you guys." A masked rocky being dropped the eagle god before gently settling down the rosy goddess, "You'll damage her flawless rosy complexion."

"Way to have my back, Mixco." Ehecatl glared at the rocky god, who was acting all flustered towards the rosy goddess, Xochi.

The guard dog growled at the rock god, as if he didn't like the way he was staring at the goddess. Glaring back at the dog, the god reached for something from his back. The dog's mood brightens up when he raised up... a trumpet?

"You want this, Yoti? Fetch!" Mixco threw the trumpet as far as he could.

The dog immediately went after the trumpet. Once it leaped into the air it turned into a more humanoid version of a dog in a mariachi costume, top off with a sombrero hat decorated with various musical instruments, before catching the trumpet in its mouth. The coyote-like deity did double take before glaring at Mixco.

The rock skinned giant was so busy talking to Xochi, that he didn't know Yoti was behind him until the coyote god blew the trumpet so loud.

"You do not blow on me!" Mixco turned and snapped at Yoti who blew a few more angry notes in his face.

"This looks familiar." La Muerte said, sounding bored.

"And here comes the slapping." Xibalba sounded even more bored than she was.

Sure enough, the rock and trumpet playing god began to have a childish slap fight as two women, a tour guide and a security guard, entered the room.

"You know what I love about museums?" The security guard sarcastically asked the tour guide as she turned into a brown-cloaked hooded woman with dark-brown pigtailed hair, reminiscing scorpion claws, "It has quite the pleasant atmosphere."

"But Malina," The tour guide protested before turning into a long blue-haired woman wearing a flowing blue gown with intricate water designs. In fact, she looks like she's entirely made out of water. She was also wearing lilies on both side of her hair. "last time you said this place makes The Land of The Fogotten a Halloween Theme Park."

"If it was, then I wouldn't have accepted the job in the first place." Xibalba disagrees.

"Easy for you to say." Ehecatl pointed at the two Death gods, "The reasons why you three accepted the job in the first place was because of children, scaring children, and... why did Candy take the job again?"

"Where is Candy?" Xochi asked. That's when they heard some grumbling.

"Rotten kids." Everyone in the room turned their heads to a new arrival, another tour guide, and he didn't sound too happy, "Disrespecting the rules. Spitting gum on the floor. I swear, if I see another fingerprint, I'll..."

"Candy, it's just us." The Curator smiled at the grumpy tour guide.

At first, the tour guide scowled at the Curator. Suddenly, a wide grin appeared on his face before he turned into a puddle of golden wax. It slithered between the two Death gods before materializing into The Keeper of The Book of Life.

"Finally!" The Candlemaker gathered his two fellow deities in one big bear hug, much to La Muerte's amusement and Xibalba's annoyance, "I was beginning to act really grumpy out there. Ya know what I'm saying."

"Oh right." Xibalba groaned in realization, "Character Impersonation."

"Let me guess;" Malina assumed, "Xibalba when he loses a wager?"

"No." The Candlemaker let go of the two gods. The Book of Life floated off its pedestal and circled the wax-covered god before nuzzling him, "Mixco when Chalchi cannonballed him last _la Noche Vieja_."

"Hey. That's right." The water goddess laughed while the masked god scowled at the wax-skinned god.

"Ugh! Of all immortal beings I have to be incarcerated with, it had to be you." Ehecatl glared at Xochi.

"Well this isn't my ideal prison either." Xochi glared back, "I couldn't enjoy a peaceful moment watching lovers musing in the passion of art without you ruffling you featherless fingers on my face."

"What was that?" The eagle god snapped back.

A golden cobra with multicolored markings on its back suddenly appeared out of nowhere and tangled the two bickering gods together, before forming the rest of his free body into the shape of a heart.

"Very original, Quetzalcoatl." Xochi glared at the laughing Curator.

"The usual trick was getting very old." Multiple snakes appeared from all corners of the room and surrounded the Curator. A ray of light flashed in the center of the room before dying down, revealing a black and white haired man with golden skin wearing a multicolored robe adorned with multicolored feathers and snake-like designs. One of his snake-like eyes was silver while the other was gold. What topped all his glory was his multicolored wings, "So I thought I'd jazz it up a bit."

"Just like how you decided to turn this place into a entertainment hangout for the human's amusement?" Ehecatl added as the snake loosen its grip on the two gods and slithered towards the King of the God's arm.

"I thought this place could use the excitement." The god chuckled as the golden cobra lay snuggled on his neck.

"_According to the staff._" Ehecatl grumbled a familiar line before noticing Quetzalcoatl turning into a nest of snakes that slithered away. The Book of Life followed him, "Hey!"

Determined to follow his fellow deity, and the Book, the eagle god turned into a pile of feathers and went after him. The others soon followed his lead as they turned into various elements; Xochi into rose petals, Mixco into sand, Yoti into a breeze that seem to play a catchy tune, Malina into tumbleweed, Chalchi into a puddle of water, the Candlemaker into a puddle of wax, La Muerte into marigold petals and Xibalba into a puddle of tar.

* * *

><p>The nest of snakes slithered outside the Museum before turning back into Quetzalcoatl. He tucked in his wings before scanning the surroundings. The Book of life appeared beside him just as he spotted what he was looking for before turning back into a nest of snakes.<p>

"And I thought my job would be much easier when you kids took your lessons more seriously." Adela chuckled as the kids kept talking about their recent trip to the Secret Room.

High above the Museum, the nest of snake materialized back into Quetzalcoatl. He chuckled in amusement as he watched the kids played and reenacted the battle between Chakal and the three amigos. He turned his gaze at Adela and smiled, remembering how his snakes almost scared her to death when she was little.

"I still can't believe you let a bunch of kids read a story just because of her." Ehecatl appeared behind Quetzalcoatl along with the other gods.

"Everyone has a role to play in this world, even children." Quetzalcoatl firmly stated, "They just need to be shown."

"She's definitely like her great-grandparents." La Muerte mused.

Adela and the kids passed by Miguel who began to show-off his strength at her only for Juan to "accidentally" drop a bucket of paint on him. Miguel shook the ladder he was climbing on, only for Juan to fall on him. Adela shook her head in disbelief as the brothers began fighting each other (again).

"Well this is a familiar scenery." Xibalba noticed, "Two boys,"

"In a surprising twist, brothers no less," La Muerte added.

"In love with the same girl." Both finished together as they romantically stared into each others eyes.

"Ah memories." The Candlemaker, along with Xochi, sighed beside them, awkwardly breaking their moment.

"She's more than that." Quetzalcoatl said, "She's quite a special human. A very, very special human."

"Whoooa, Man!" The Candlemaker appeared before him before he could take another step, "We had our talk about 'boundaries'..."

"Not _that _special." Quetzaalcoatl scowled at him.

"Well that's a relief," Mixco joked," because you can do so much better than that." Just as he took another step forward, he suddenly tripped on a golden tail, causing him to fall off the ground. The ruler of the gods landed next to him, smirking, along with his cobra.

The group of immortals began following their fellow deity. Along the way, they lend a helping hand to the humans, making the preparations for the Masquerade Ball easier (of course, the mortals couldn't see them).

"Seriously though;" Ehecatl said as he flapped a wing and a strong wind blew a fallen banner back into the hands of some surprised workers, "of all places you could incarcerate us to, it had to be _this_ dump."

"This _dump_ reminds mortals of their past struggles that they must face in order to regain the hope they thought they lost." Quetzalcoatl explains as Yoti played a tune that inspires a bored Mariachi Band.

"Yes. Of course." With the wave of her fan, Xochi made a row of bushes sprout flowers, "But must we be detained in this place? Along with _certain_ deities?"

"Oh. So you prefer The Land of The Forgotten then." Quetzalcoatl chuckled.

"But wouldn't the vile air ruin your flawless rosy complexion?" Chalchi asked as they passed a gardener who was having trouble trying to get water out of his hose until the water goddess helped him (the pressure from the water knocked him to the ground).

"I'm just saying that I have my own personal boundaries." Xochi glared at a certain eagle god.

"Must be lucky to be related to a great hero." Goth Kid told his teacher.

The immortal group realizes that their leader led them directly to the same group who found the Secret Entrance a few minutes ago. The King chuckled at the children bombarding their teacher with questions.

"Are you like his great-great granddaughter?" Sasha asked.

"Great granddaughter." Adela corrected.

"You must know a lot of stories about him." An idea suddenly came to Sanjay's mind, "Do you?"

"Well, uh..." But just before the teacher could even answer the pleading questions of the children...

"Adela!" A woman approached the group, grabbed Adela by the arm and led her away from the children, "Thank goodness we found you. Come along now. Your cousin's waiting in the car. We wouldn't want you to be late for your dates. Ugh. _Mija_, you really need a make-over. And a personal exterminator for your hair. Is that even hair, or an All-You-Can-Eat Salad Bar?"

Adela waved good-bye to the kids (The Candlemaker waved back) before being shoved in the back seat with Clavel. Her mother took her seat in the front along her father.

"Thanks for having my back." Adela told her cousin.

"I did my best." Clavel replied.

"Did you?" Adela cocked an eyebrow, until Clavel held up a wig that matched her hair style, "You did."

"I believe we should as well prepare ourselves for the festivities." Quetzalcoatl headed back to the Museum and the others followed. That's when he glanced back and noticed the Book of Life heading to the opposite direction, as if following the young woman.

"Oh no you don't."The Candlemaker tucked the Book under his arm, preventing him from flying any further.

"What have I done to deserve this?" Xochi groaned as if getting ready to faint as Ehecatl glared at her.

"But Xochi, I thought you love Love." La Muerte teased, "And what's more romantic than a Museum where you can get _closer_ with the people _close_ to you?"

"Oh come on." Xochi complained, "Yoti doesn't bite that hard."

"Speak for yourself." Xibalba groaned as he rubbed his left wing. Next to him, Yoti sadly played his tuba in shame.

* * *

><p>"Ow! <em>Mama<em>! Easy on the curlers!" Adela complained. She was already in a bathrobe and her mother looked like she was pulling weeds rather than styling her hair.

"The first time I met your father, I didn't make a very good impression." Mrs. Sanchez explained, "And you know what happened? He went out with another girl. And all because I wasn't prepared enough. And you, my Little Adela, must look your best for this extravagant occasion that would change your life forever!"

"Yay." Adela groaned as her mother went on with her "hair treatment". She glanced at her cousin who was trying not to suppress a smile at her unfortunate embarrassing predicament.

"_Dios mio_! I almost forgot!" Mrs. Sanchez quickly rushed out of the room, leaving the cousins alone.

"Bet you didn't have to look your best when you met each other." Adela stared at a photo of her when she was little along with her parents and grandparents. She picked it up right next to a picture of her grandparents' wedding. Right next to the newly wedded couple was a familiar couple from a familiar old story.

"Hey. Guess who's here to cheer you up." Clavel step sideways, revealing a pig with a brown spot on his right eye wearing a poncho and a sombrero with make-shift horns on the side.

"Cocoa!" Adela's mood eventually brightened as she picked up the pig, "Did you dress-up especially for Little Ol' me?"

The pig oinks before nuzzling his nose to hers.

"I'm back!" Mrs. Sanchez bursts through the door and threw a dress at Clavel. She then grabbed Adela and made her stand in front of the mirror, holding another dress, "Oh if only your _Abuela_ was here to see you now."

"Ay Theresa, what have you done to our daughter? I almost didn't recognize her." A man appeared in the doorway smiling.

"Ay Ricardo." Mrs. Sanchez embraced her husband, "Isn't she just _muy hermoso_?"

"Just like the day we met, _mi corazon_." Ricardo replied before heading for the door, "We better hurry. We leave in an hour."

"You know you don't have to do this." Adela told her mother.

"Nonsense _Mija_." Her mother replied, "It's a small price to pay to see you be happy along with the Man of Your Life. Oh! I forgot your shoes." She once again made a dash for the door.

"Be honest with me; does this color clash with my skin?" Clavel asked her cousin, but she was deep in her thoughts.

Adela stared outside her window. Cocoa accompanied his master as he snuggled under her arm. Adela smiled for a while before staring at the starry night.

"Great _Abuelo_," She fiddled with her necklace as she sighed, "this isn't the part of your story I wanted to live in."

* * *

><p><strong>Benedict Cumberbatch is reborn as the King of the Gods in this modern sequel of The Book of Life.<strong>

**Benedict Cumberbatch: He's not your typical King of the Gods.**

**Quetzacoatl: ****I thought this place could use the excitement****.**

**Kate del Castillo: He's fun-loving, sweet, caring.**

**Ron Perlman: He's not your typical High-Authority-By-The-Book god that's easily provoked by the littlest of things. In fact, he takes things rather smoothly.**

**Mixco: (Trips and falls) Aaah! Ugh!**

**Quetzalcoatl: (Chuckles)**

**The Book of Life: Legends Retold**

**(I actually wanted to do a trailer for this although I had trouble finding the perfect voice actors.) ;-)**


	4. The Wage is Set

The Moon illuminated the night sky as people arrived in the Museum in an array of colorful costumes. Some were either indulging themselves at the buffet table, dancing, socializing with one another or admiring either Juan's artworks or Miguel's display of strength.

"Sasha!" Joao cried.

The little blond girl made her way towards him and Goth Kid, dragging along her favorite doll and making sure not to trip on her costume.

"Hey nice costume. You look just like Maria, except for the hair." Goth Kid complemented.

"Thanks. You look like a little Joaquin." Sasha complemented him back on his costume.

"_Gracias_ _senora_." Goth Kid replied as he unsheathes his wooden sword.

"Don't forget your Knight in Shining Armor." Joao, who was dressed just like Manolo and was trying to sound like him, began playing his make-shift guitar.

His other two friends laughed in amusement, until their eyes widened in horror. This confused Joao, until he felt someone breathing on his back. He slowly but nervously turned his head around...

"_**RAAAAAR!**_" A shadowed creature with black wings appeared out of nowhere, causing the poor boy to scream and fall on his back, "Gotcha!"

The three kids took a closer look at the creature who was laughing his head off. They glared, realizing it was actually Sanjay wearing a costume that resembles The Lord of The Land of The Forgotten, complete with a staff.

"Not cool, Man." Goth Kid crossed his arms.

"You guys should've seen the looks in your fa..." Sanjay turned around. Once he did, his jaw dropped at the sight before him.

"Oh Xibalba, when will you ever learn?" Jane teased. She was wearing a red dress along with a red sombrero, making her look like a certain goddess, especially in Sanjay's eyes.

"Aw! Isn't that adorable?" La Muerte stood on top the Museum's roof and gushed at the sight before her.

"Cute." Her husband agreed but then scowled, "But I don't talk like that."

"Please, my love! Trade realms with me! I'm begging you!" Sanjay got to his knees, trying to sound just like Xibalba.

"Oh please. You actually sound desperate on that night." La Muerte teased.

"Oh aren't just the cutest little bundle of cuteness you." Jane baby-talked back, trying to sound like the goddess, not noticing the real goddess scowling a bit.

"Now that you mention it, I almost mistook you for my mother on that very same night." Xibalba chuckled.

"We got churros!" Chalchi suddenly appeared alongside the Candlemaker on top of the roof, her mouth full of churros.

Ehecatl took a churro from Chalchi and sullenly bit on it, probably because he was bored from watching the humans. Mixco and Yoti were busy fighting over Xochi who was busy spraying herself with rose pollen. Malina was commanding a bunch of fireflies to put on a show for the human's amusement.

"I see everyone is having a good time." Quetzalcoatl in his human disguise said.

"Oh you haven't seen anything yet." The Mayor said, "We have a big show coming soon. Magic show, Pet Contest, Best Costume Award and even a Bullfight Exhibition."

"Splendid! Now if you'll excuse me..." Quetzalcoatl turned to take his leave. He teleported to the roof of the museum via nest of snakes before turning back into his godly form, the Book of Life hovering beside him. He chuckled as he watched the children reenact Manolo's story, "Well that looks familiar."

"Will you ever forgive me?" "Little Xibalba" cried in front of "Little La Muerte", tears trickling down his face.

"For the record, I wasn't crying." Xibalba complained, "I mean I was crying in the _inside_, but never in the outside. I never ever cry in the outside."

"Just like last year?" La Muerte asked as she turned to face him.

"I was being sentimental." Xibalba corrected.

"And on that very special day?" La Muerte caressed his face, "_Our _very special day?"

"Well, maybe a little bit." Xibalba began melting to her touch.

"A little?" La Muerte batted her eyes, her face inches away from his.

"Well," Xibalba suddenly felt the urge to lean in closer, "I wouldn't say a little..."

"Ugh! Get a cave!" The two suddenly broke apart at the sound of Ehecatl's voice.

"Must you ruin everything?" Xochi slapped him from behind.

"Ugh! You and your romance." The eagle god argued, "No wonder you were sent to this dump for setting up a war."

"At least one simple sway of my hands didn't send hundreds of lives flying!" The rose goddess argued back.

"I'll tell you one thing; being stuck here with you isn't making this dump any more bear..." Ehecatl's glare suddenly turned to shock. The other gods turned to his gaze, eyes widening at the sight before them.

The Sanchez family arrived at the party. Ricardo held an arm to Theresa. Clavel struggles with an excited Cocoa in a leash. However, all eyes were at Adela. Her long brown hair was flying slowly but freely in the breeze as if time slowed down. As she took off her mask, her eyes sparkle brighter than the fireflies in the night. At the sight before them, the Ortiz brothers Juan and Miguel could only gawk.

"Is that Miss Adela?" Jane asked.

"She looks like a princess." Sasha complemented.

Their three friends could only stare with nothing to say... until the girls kicked them on the knee, pinched their ears and slap them on the back. Of course, they weren't the only ones who were all ogled up at their teacher...

"_Ay Caramba._" The Candlemaker uttered.

Yoti blew on a slide whistle as his neck was still held by Mixco, as if he was planning to strangle him but then changed his mind. Malina's fireflies formed a heart. Even Quetzalcoatl's cobra's jaw dropped as he prevented his master's own jaw from dropping.

"Okay this looks _too_ familiar." La Muerte finally broke the silence as she glared at an ogled up Xibalba. She tightly pulled his beard, snapping him out of his trance. The death god could only chuckle nervously in response.

"Adela! We almost didn't recognize you without the glasses and all." Gina exclaimed.

"It would be nice to wear them to the Ball." Adela squinted, "I can barely tell which twin is which."

"Oh don't worry about that." Tina said, "People nowadays with or without glasses can't tell a twin from a twin anyway."

"If you say so, Gina." Adela shrugged.

"It's Tina." Tina corrected. She then knelt down and petted Cocoa, "Aw Cocoa! Aren't you just the cutest little bull ever seen?"

"You can have him." Clavel handed the leash to Tina before hearing her name called, "Gotta go. Duty calls."

As she left, the other three girls and one pig headed for the buffet table.

"There they go again." Xibalba said as he watched the Ortiz brothers arguing yet again.

Each brother slapped one another until each was handed a sword (plastic swords to be exact). Both brothers clashed, glaring at each other.

"Ah yes! Swords." La Muerte exclaimed half-heartedly.

"She is mine!" Juan cried.

"Oh please." Miguel scoffed, "She'll be in my big manly arms by the end of the night, once I'm done with you."

"Atleast we know who's the Joaquin in this story." La Muerte said. Xibalba nodded in agreement.

"I don't know." Ehecatl watched as Miguel lifted Juan high up, preventing him from hitting him with his plastic sword, "With skills like that, she'll be in his big manly arms in no time."

"Oh please." Xochi scoffed, "Everyone knows that the only way to a girl's heart is through your own heart. One must have passion, sympathy, emotions,"

"Blah blabbity blah!" Ehecatl cut her off gesturing at Miguel, "Girls fall for that stuff all the time."

"I can vouch for that." Malina agreed.

"You said it." Mixco agreed as well, "Just look at the beef on that guy. His brother doesn't even stand a chance." He chuckled, until Xochi glared at him.

Yoti suddenly blew a romantic tune on his trumpet.

"Exactly." Xochi said, "Now that's what I'm talking about."

Yoti flashed a smug look at Mixco who scowled in return.

"They say nice guys finish last, but good things always happen to good people." Chalchi spoke, "Your guy is being mean, lifting up others by their clothes."

Miguel dropped Juan, much to Malina's amusement.

"If a guy can make a girl laugh like that then he's alright." Malina laughed.

The gods continue to argue except for the 3 death gods and one Ruler of the Gods. Quetzalcoatl chuckled as he turned his gaze at Adela who was chatting with her friends. He couldn't help but stare at her eyes. For a moment they almost look like...

* * *

><p><em>Gold and silver snake-like eyes...<em>

_The Book of Life being opened..._

_A clawed hand..._

_A slash..._

_A maniacal laugh..._

_A striking snake..._

* * *

><p>Quetzalcoatl gasped after witnessing the vision. The last thing he wanted to do at this night, at this particular night was to remember... that.<p>

"You okay?" The Candlemaker asked.

"I, think I'll go for a walk." Quetzalcoatl vanished in a nest of snakes. The Book of Life followed him.

"You know, it is a perfect night to take a walk." Ehecatl stretched his wings and vanish in a flurry of feathers. Malina and Mixco agreed and followed suit.

"I do hate wasting a beautiful night like this sitting around." Xochi said and vanish in a flurry of rose petals. Yoti and Chalchi agreed and followed suit, leaving the three death gods alone.

"Aw man! I gotta get me more of these churros!" The Candlemaker exclaimed, leaving in a puddle of wax.

"Oh well." La Muerte grabbed Xibalba by the arm, "Guess that leaves us."

Xibalba smiled. Suddenly, his eyes caught glimpse of some familiar group of children.

"You know," An idea suddenly popped in his head, "With the all the excitement going on and with the perfect background to blend in..."

"Is that all you can think about?" La Muerte caught up to his plan. Yet she managed to suppress a smile, drawing his attention back to her.

"Well..." Just as their faces were inches from each other, Xibalba turned into a puddle of tar and reappeared a few feet behind her, "Yes." He once again turned into a puddle of tar and sped off.

"That's what I get for marrying a god who's entirely made out of tar." La Muerte sighed, turned into a flurry of marigold petals and took after her husband.

* * *

><p>Quetzalcoatl materialized near a secluded area, far away from the event. He took deep breathes as if trying to calm himself down after seeing a ghost. The Book of Life appeared before him and flipped its pages. It landed on his page. On the opposite page was a woman who almost looks identical to him but her robe was in the shades of black, white and grey.<p>

"I know, Bookie. I know." Quetzalcoatl touched the page; a small smile appeared in his face.

* * *

><p>Ehecatl materialized back in a corner followed by Mixco and Malina. Xochi materialized as well in the exact same spot followed by Chalchi and Yoti.<p>

"So it's settled." Ehecatl turned to face Xochi, "If our guy gets the girl by the end of _Dia de los Muertos_, you three have to cover for us while we enjoy our 'off-duty' until the next Day of the Dead."

"And if _our_ guy gets the girl by the end of _Dia de los Muertos_, _you three_ have to cover for _us_ while _we_ enjoy _our_ 'off-duty' until the next Day of the Dead." Xochi pointed her fan at him.

"So be it." Ehecatl glared at her.

"No matter what it takes." Xochi glared back.

"By the Ancient Rules," He extended his wing to her.

"The Wage is set." Xochi took his wing and shook it, sealing the wager. She then gestures with her fan, "By the way, I think your guy has his hands all 'tied up'."

To Ehecatl's shock, Miguel's hands weren't the only part of him 'tied up'. Juan stood in triumph before his brother who was, to his humiliation, all wrapped up in ribbons. Xochi giggles before disappearing in a flurry of rose petals. Yoti blew a note in his trumpet as if to say "too bad, so sad" before following Xochi.

"Good luck you guys. You're gonna need it." Chalchi said before Yoti returned and grabbed her by the arm. The two gods then took off in pursuit of their leader while Ehecatl slapped himself in the face.

"Ha ha!" Juan cried triumptly before speeding off, "I am coming for you, Adela Sanchez!"

Miguel struggles to escape his multi-colored prison. The Mayor and Clavel just happen to pass-by him until they saw the state he was in. Sighing, Clavel pulled one ribbon, completely untangling him from his prison.

"Well done, Ms. Clavel." The Mayor remarked, "Wouldn't want you to miss your little exhibition now, do we? Bullfighters don't just grow in trees, you know."

"Bullfighter?" This caught Ehecatl's attention. As if on cue, he heard a loud "moo". He turned his head towards a group of humans struggling to heave a bull out of a truck. A wicked smile appeared in his face. His signaled his two cohorts and they gave matching smiles upon seeing the bull.

Miguel gave Clavel and the Mayor his thanks before rushing off, leaving the two alone.

"Now that everything's settled, I guess I'll be..." Just before Clavel could take another step, the Mayor lays an arm on her shoulder.

"Before you go," He leads her to the side of the Museum before holding up an amulet in the shape of a snake, "there's something I've been meaning to give you."

"Wow. I, don't know what to say." Clavel gave him an unsure response, as if crept out by the way the silver snake was staring at her.

"Just think of it as a reward for all your hard work." The Mayor handed her the amulet before gesturing her towards the Museum, "Go try it on." Clavel just scowled a bit but finally gave in.

* * *

><p>She went inside the Museum personal bathroom and took a good look at the amulet, still crept out by it. Still, she managed to put it on. Once she did, the amulet started to glow to her surprise, enveloping the entire room in its light.<p>

* * *

><p>Outside the Museum, the Mayor stood in waiting until he heard footsteps.<p>

"Wow. It's either the moonlight, or you're really glowing." He complemented.

"I really appreciate it. _Gracias_." Clavel fidgeted with the amulet before taking hold of the Mayor's arm, "Shall we? We wouldn't want to miss the rest if the show."

"Oh. _Si_." The Mayor flashed her a sly smile before leading the way.

For a moment there, Clavel's eyes almost looked...snaky.


	5. A Night To Remember?

Adela was just about to pluck a churro from the Buffet Table when she heard some familiar voices.

"I'll save you, _Senorita_!" Goth Kid cried.

Adela flashed an amused look at the kids as they play pretend. She decided to walk towards them just as Goth Kid and Joao swordfight.

"You kids must have really loved that story, huh?" Adela smiled.

Unknown to them, Xibalba appeared a few feet away from the group. A wicked smile spread across his face as he prepared to scare his first victims of the night. Unfortunately for him, his wife appeared a few feet away from him, ready to scold her husband for attempting to scar the little ones for life.

"My favorite part was when Manolo had to fight all the bulls his family killed." Goth Kid said.

"My favorite part was when the three_ amigos_ banded together to defeat Chakal." Sanjay said.

"My favorite part was when Manolo and Maria got married and lived Happily Ever After." Jane sighed.

"You know what the best part of that story was?" Adela asked.

"The Danger?" Joao asked.

"The Excitement?" Sanjay asked.

"The Love?" Sasha grinned.

"Everyone was able to overcome the challenges he/she has to face." Adela corrected, "Despite family traditions, Manolo fought back with the true courage and passion in his heart. Maria learned to stand up and fight for what's right. Joaquin realized being a hero means sacrificing everything for everyone, especially for his best friends. And as for the god... hm. Why did he proposed that wager in the first place."

Xibalba was taken aback by this, and just when he was about to strike.

"Because he wanted the Land of the Remembered all to himself!" Goth Kid replied.

"Maybe there was something more to this wager than meets the eye." Adela went on as the kids listened attentively, as well as the gods behind them, "Maybe he did proposed the wager in order to rule the Land of the Remembered. Maybe he did it out of Greed. Or was it maybe he did it out of Love? Maybe he did it as a way to get back his One True Love whom he hurt in the past. Maybe he did it out of guilt. Of course he cheated and lied, but in end, he finally set aside his old beliefs, so that he could be with her again and rekindle the Love once was lost."

The children just stared at her wide-eyed, especially the gods. Sanjay suddenly sniffed and Goth Kid sneezed on a tissue.

"Did we ever tell you that you're the best teacher ever?" Jane smiled. Adela smiled back in return.

Xibalba just stood there in disbelief. Never in his eternal life has he ever heard a mortal regard him like that. And of all humans, it had to be from the descendant of the man he killed out of greed. La Muerte held a hand to her heart and smiled. She turned her gaze at her surprised husband who years ago once took away a life just to seal his victory. She remembered the day he finally got the courage to admit to her that he was wrong and was even willing to not show his disgraced face to her anymore. Despite that, she forgave him and their love still blooms up to this very day. Now all she has to do was to confront her beloved for almost scaring little children.

"I, think I'll let this one sliii..." Xibalba turns around, only to come face-to-face with his wife, her arms crossed, yet she managed to flash a playful smile.

"Okay. That's a little too soft, even for you, Balby." She teased.

"Soft?" He scoffed, "I just, lost interest. That's all."

"Sure you were." She teased sarcastically.

"That was beautiful." Juan clapped as he approached the group.

"Oh. _Hola_ Juan." Adela greeted, "Where's Miguel?"

"Oh he's a little 'tied up' at the moment." Juan replied, "That was quite the Story Telling."

"Thank you." Adela smiled a bit.

"Such passion. Such emotion." He went on, "It was as if you turned a figment of imagination into reality."

"Yeah. Well," Adela suddenly blushed.

"I mean normally one would never think highly of a god as an emotional being." Juan went on.

"E-math-i-nal?" Sasha asked, trying to pronounce the word.

"Emotional." Juan corrected, "Kindness. Joy. Forgiveness. Love. Something an immortal deity is not capable of. They don't feel what we mortals feel. They have little regards for us humans."

The two hidden gods gasp at this. The children stared at him. Even Adela looked at him with surprise.

"But one of them was nice to us." Sasha suddenly blurted out. Her friends turned their gaze at her, as if the biggest secret that was suppose to say secret was revealed to the entire world.

"Such imagination." Juan laughed and patted her head, "I'm sure the majesty of the Museum was playing its tricks on you."

"Uh, Juan," Adela warned, seeing the frown in the little girl's face.

"Gods are fierce and powerful individual who are not to be reckoned with." He went on, "They don't quite socialize much with us mere mortals. But when they do it's only for our strength, prowess and sometimes beauty. Why in Greek Mythology, many gods reveal themselves before woman, so they may..."

His speech was interrupted by a loud cry. Sasha ran away from the group with tears in her eyes. Her friends follow her, but not before Jane kicked Juan in the shin.

"Spirited little fellows, aren't they?" Juan asked as he rubbed his shin. Adela just glared at him and began walking away. Noticing this, he went after her. Of course, she and the kids weren't the only ones he provoked.

Xibalba glared at Juan. How dare he? As if he knows nothing of Love and Forgiveness.

Just when he was about to strike at the no good human, something else struck him from behind, causing the Artist to awkwardly fall on Adela. In disgust, she slapped him in the face and stormed off.

Xibalba was shocked that someone else beat him to it. But who? That's when he noticed the angry look in his wife's face as well as one of her hands steaming. Realization struck him.

"Did you just..."

"No I didn't." She quickly replied before he could finish, nervously hiding her hand in the process. She proceeded to walk away, but Xibalba quickly appeared in front of her.

"Oh yes you did." He flashed her a mischievous grin, "The sweet, benevolent La Muerte lashing on a not-so-innocent human being."

"No I didn't." She countered, walking away.

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Oh yes you did."

La Muerte suddenly pecked Xibalba on the lips, causing his eyes to widen in surprise.

"No I didn't." She grins before disappearing in a shower of marigold petals.

"N-no you...O-hooooh! So that's how it's going to be, eh?" Xibalba manages to snap out of his trance, grins and mischievously toys with his whiskers before turning into a puddle of tar and took off after his wife.

* * *

><p>"Sasha!" Jane called as the group kept an eye out for their smallest member.<p>

They eventually found her crying in a corner of the Museum. As they ran up to their friend, they were unaware of the gold and silver eyes spying on them from the shadows.

"Were we really imagining things?" Sasha asked.

"Don't listen to that jerk." Goth Boy said.

"Yeah. That goddess was too nice to be an imagination." Sanjay said.

"And she was a great Tour Guide." Jane added.

"A goddess Tour Guide?" The kids jolted in surprise at the sudden appearance of the Curator, "That's something you don't see in a Museum every day."

"Goddess? What goddess?" Sanjay fibbed, "We didn't see any goddess."

"Or maybe it was some kind of ghost?" The Curator chuckled, "Or a fairy? Ooh. Or was it some kind of Imaginary Friend?"

"She wasn't some kind of ghost!" Jane protested angrily.

"Or some fairy or whatever!" Goth kid added.

"She was the sweetest, nicest goddess we ever seen and met in our entire lives!" Joao added.

The kids suddenly stared wide-eyed, knowing they just revealed probably the biggest secret in history.

"You know, she's not the only friendliest immortal deity around." In a flash of light, the Curator disappeared and Quetzalcoatl stood in his place before the surprised Children.

The group just stood open-mouthed at the golden-skinned being before them. Sasha lost her footing and would have fallen on her back if not for the golden cobra who caught her in the nick if time.

"Y-y-you... h-h-him... p-painting..." Sanjay stuttered, "You're that guy from that painting!"

"Cu... Kwe... Quetzalcoatl! You're Quetzalcoatl!" Jane cried before fainting. Luckily, the King of the Gods caught her in time.

* * *

><p>"Adela!" Juan called, but his words fell in deaf ears.<p>

Keeping her head high, Adela just ignored him. How dare he talk so haughtily? And if front of children too.

"What is he doing?" Xochi watched from afar.

"He's calling out to her. But I don't think she can hear him with all that music." Chalchi answered.

Yoti rolled his eyes at her. Things weren't looking good for the group of gods. They have to think of something; otherwise they'll lose the wager. But what? The music coming from the band suddenly caught his attention, and gave him an idea.

He reached up for his sombrero and plucked off a trumpet ornament. The ornament grew into a real trumpet on which the music god played a catchy tune. As if on cue, the band switched into a livelier tune, catching everyone's attention. Soon everyone was dancing to the beat.

Juan felt like he couldn't control the tapping of his feet, or the rest of him for that matter. Distracted by the music, Adela suddenly tripped, only to be caught by Juan who, to her surprise, began leading her to a Waltz.

Catching up to her teammate's plan, Chalchi waved her hand, activating the sprinklers. The waters squirting out formed into a shape of a heart, and right behind Adela and Juan.

Meanwhile, Juan was enjoying himself. He just let himself go to Yoti's musical spell, not caring if he was in total control of himself or not, as long as _she_ was in his arms. He twirled and threw her up high before gracefully catching her to the surprise of the audience. The twins sighed at the sight before them while Cocoa, who just won 1st place in the Best Costume in the Pet Category, stick out his tongue in disgust.

* * *

><p>Miguel glared as he watched Juan serenade the girl of his dreams, not noticing the three deities approaching the bull who was trying in vain to escape his chains.<p>

"Hey!" Mixco caught the attention of the bull as his eyes glowed, "When you get the chance, give him all you got."

The bull's eye glowed as well as it snorted in reply. The gods left just as Miguel turned to face the bull.

"Release the bull." He told the handlers.

* * *

><p>"I hope you don't mind the extra shifts." Xochi teased as Ehecatl appeared before her.<p>

"Funny. I was going to tell you the same thing." He joked back.

Yoti played a bad tune on his tuba, making it sound like he was blowing raspberries. Mixco glared at him in response. Chalchi waved at Malina who just rolled her eyes at her.

"You know it's a shame." Xochi glanced at Ehecatl, "The passionate ones always get the girl."

"Not if the tough guy has anything to say about that." Ehecatl talked back.

"Oh please." Xochi scoffed, "How did you expect Manolo climbed a mountain, survived a maze and tamed the bull with music just to get back to his One True Love?"

Yoti and Chalchi sighed in agreement. (Yoti fainted after.)

"Yeah?" The Eagle god retorted, "Well how did you expect Joaquin dealt with an army of banditos just to impress the girl of his dreams?" He fist bumped with Malina and Mixco.

While the group went on with their argument, a shower of marigold petals landed near the steps of the Museum before materializing back into La Muerte.

"Thank the Remembered I lost him." She glanced around a corner, only for a pair of glove hands to land on her shoulders and dips her low.

"Oh Sweetie, why didn't you tell me you were going to play dirty on the human for making us sound bad?" Xibalba baby-talked.

"Says the man who was softening up to the little guys." La Muerte baby-talked back, attracting the attention of the other gods.

"Someone's being a naughty girl." Xibalba teased.

"Look who's talking, Mr. Cry Baby." La Muerte teased back.

"Not a cry baby. And you call this _soft_?" Xibalba ran one hand on her back, causing her to flinch in surprise.

The two resumed with their teasing and flirting, much to the disturbance of the other gods (Xochi was alright with this). Finally, Mixco couldn't take another nickname. He stormed up to the two, _and just when they were leaning in for a kiss!_

"WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF?!" He cried just when they pressed their lips to his face, "HOW'S A FELLA SUPPOSE TO GLOAT HIS CHANCE ON WINNING A WAGER, WITH YOU BEING ALL LOVEY-DOVEY, SNUGGLY-WUGGLY, YUCKY MUCKY?! YECK!"

Seeing him, cause the two gods to pull away in disgust. That's when realization struck them and they glared at Mixco.

"What wager?" They asked.

The sound of music caught their attention. They glance back and forth at Juan and Miguel, until realization struck them (once, they actually glanced at the Candlemaker who waved at them).

"Oh no. Not that Maria." Xibalba glared at the other gods, "She's too sweet for those idiots."

The others' eyes widened in surprise for a moment. Did Xibalba, Lord of the Land of the Forgotten, actually said something nice to a human?

"But won't she eventually end up with the Manolo of the story?" Xochi asked.

"Manolo?" La Muerte glared at Juan, "More like Joaquin's twin brother who knows how to make children cry." This may have been the first insult she has given to a human, considering how the other gods were staring at her.

Juan continued to twirl Adela around and threw her into the sky before gracefully catching her just as the music ends. The audience applauds as they threw roses at the couple.

This gave Xochi an idea. She made a nearby rose bush bloom before plucking a single rose. Hiding the rose under her fan, she casted a spell on it before throwing it up on the air. As if on cue, Juan caught the rose and placed it on his mouth before dipping Adela.

"Xochi, what did you do?" La Muerte, who just witness what she did, asked warily.

The other gods turned their gaze at Juan. Seeing the glowing rose made Ehecatl glare at Xochi.

"_No matter what it takes._ Remember?" Xochi smirks behind her fan.

Juan smiled at Adela as he leaned nearer. The rose began to glow, as well as the feather on Adela's necklace. And just when his face was inches away from her...

"Excuse me." Adela gently pushed him away and began heading for the buffet table, much to the disappointment of Juan, her friends, her parents and Xochi.

"What? B-but that's impossible." Xochi exclaimed, "My Love Spell never ever lets me down." She watched as a rejected Juan suddenly got ambushed by a mob of love struck girls.

"Well, there's your answer." Xibalba chuckled, gesturing at Adela eating from the buffet table, her feathered necklace glowing.

"Oooh! Quetzalcoatl's feathers! She had to wear Quetzalcoatl's feathers." Xochi cursed.

The sound of a bull suddenly attracted the gods' attention.

"Our turn." Ehecatl smirked.

* * *

><p>Adela was eating a bowl of chili when her friends and family approached her.<p>

"Would you mind telling us what happened back there, _Mija_?" Her irritated mother asked.

"Well I, uh..." Adela kept eating her chili.

"Oh I understand. You got nervous to make your move." Her father patted her on the shoulder, "Not to worry, _Mija_. Just don't think about it and it will come naturally."

"And you can start with _this_." Mrs. Sanchez yanked the bowl of chili from her daughter.

"I'm not nervous." Adela complained, "And you know how much I love super hot chili."

"Exactly." Mrs. Sanchez poked her stomach, "It will go right through your dress." The couple walked off, leaving Adela with the twins and Cocoa.

"Actually, you could start getting rid of _this_." Gina reached for Adela's necklace but she slapped her hand away, "Come on. It totally clashes with your dress."

"It's more than just an accessory, you know." Adela looked down on the multi-colored feather, remembering that night. Her head suddenly shot up at the sound of hooves.

From out of nowhere, a large bull came charging in, causing the party-goers to back away in fear. Suddenly, a masked torero appeared out of nowhere and began attracting the bull's attention.

"Miguel?" Adela immediately recognized the older Ortiz brother.

The bull's eyes glowed as it charges at Miguel who was waving a red cloth at it. Miguel swiftly evaded the bull and continued waving his cloth while at the same time winks at Adela, causing the twins to faint. Cocoa just rolls his eyes in annoyance.

Miguel continued to dazzle the crowd with his skills as the gods watch on.

"Well this is going to be one exciting night. Isn't it, Mixco?" La Muerte scowled at the masked god after noticing the red glow on the bull's eye.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Ehecatl smirked at Malina.

Miguel laughed as he rode on the bull. The bull didn't attempt to buck off due to being worn out by the rider. Suddenly, a scorpion appeared behind Miguel. At Malina's command, the scorpion struck its tail on the bull's back causing it to rear out of control, successfully catapulting Miguel off its back. A strong wind blew his cloth away, but that didn't stop him from wrestling with the bull.

"Things just got a whole lot interesting." Ehecatl smirked as he brought his wing down.

Miguel wrestled with the bull as the crowd cheered, except Adela who watched in worry. The bull managed to throw him to the ground but he immediately got up and head-butted him away. He began to charge once again.

Juan wandered around the area, dazed from the much affection given to him (due to Xochi's spell). He was able to snap out of it once he saw Adela and waved at her. The only problem? **He was right where Miguel was charging!**

Before he knew it, Miguel collided with his brother, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Miguel snapped at Juan.

"Well excuse me." Juan snapped back.

The brothers' small argument was long enough for the bull to make a comeback and charged at the brothers. The collision forced the brothers on the bull's back. Their attempts to control the animal were fruitless as it began terrorizing the spectators.

"ADELA!" Both brothers cried, but it was too late.

Adela soon found herself riding the bulls alongside the brothers. At the tone of her scream, it wasn't a pleasant ride. The bull reared as the brothers argue over who should control the animal and who should calm Adela.

Finally, the animal had enough. He forced his back up, sending all three into the air before landing on separate grounds. As Adela was busy trying to sit up and gathering her wits, the bull snorted at her direction, its eyes red with fury. It pawed the ground and gave a loud moo before charging straight at her!

"Oh yeah. Things _really_ just got interesting." Xibalba remarked as he, the other gods and everyone else watched in horror.


	6. A Twist in the Tale

"ADELA!" Both brothers rushed to her aid. They would have been there sooner if they weren't arguing on who was going to save her.

"_Mija_!" Her mother fainted in her husband's arms while Cocoa squealed.

"I can't look!" Xibalba covered his eyes.

"It's too unbearable!" La Muerte put her hands on her head.

"I think I just lost my Dinner." Chalchi covered her mouth.

Adela knew it was a mistake to turn around. And just when she braced herself for the worst...

Before the bull could come any closer, someone jumped on the bull, causing it to rear back. Adela looked up at the rider. To her surprise, it wasn't Miguel, nor was it Juan.

The bull reared to buck the rider off. But the masked rider donning a sombrero and a poncho gripped the bull's horns, preventing him from falling off. To the Audience's surprise, the rider pulled the bull's horn, making the animal rear upright until it fell on its back. The bull tried in vain to get up, but the rider, unscathed, grabbed a length of rope and tied the animal's feet together.

The bull bellowed at its foe, attempting to intimidate it. Despite that, the masked bullfighter remained calm. Surprised and unable to move, the creature snorted in defeat. The crowd applauded in relief and awe.

"Huh. I did not think that through." Ehecatl said as the gods sighed in relief. But when they turned to their left, they were greeted by the angry glares of the two death gods.

As the crowd congratulated the masked vigilante, Adela sadly walked away while clutching her arm. The Ortiz brothers tried to follow her but their way was blocked by their worried and concerned fans. Adela glanced at the brothers and scowled at them before taking her leave. Cocoa went after her, but not before blowing raspberries at the brothers. Clavel watched as her cousin vanished into the darkness of the night, her lips curved into a sinister smile.

* * *

><p>"Hey fellas, what did I mi..." When the Candlemaker approached his fellow deities, his eyes widened at the sight before him.<p>

"I know it was a long time ago, but was I really that selfish?" Xibalba lay on La Muerte's lap in dismay while his wife comforted him, "I mean it felt natural and all, but now that you think about it... Oh! I've been a bad immortal!"

"Ugh. Did she have to be rash?" Mixco lay on the ground as if something struck him from behind. On top of him laid Yoti who was blowing on a whistle in daze.

"What he ever saw in that _chica_, I'll never know." Malina groaned as she laid hanging on a tree branch besides Chalchi. Both looked like a bomb exploded in their faces.

"I hope this won't eventually turn into a running gag." Ehecatl grunted. To his dismay, Xibalba animated his staff into a two-headed snake and commanded it to tie him and Xochi together. As a bonus, both heads formed a heart between the two gods.

"Come on! It wasn't that bad." Mixco rubbed his head, "Atleast she lives. And if I remember correctly, _you_ made it look like the girl were dead so that the boy would have himself killed, thus granting you victory so that you can rule the Land of the Remembered."

"What have I been doing in my life?!" Xibalba groaned while La Muerte nearly blasted Mixco.

"Have you been crying?" The Candlemaker asked, surprised by the sudden changes in his fellow deities' personalities.

"Not crying." Xibalba scowled.

"You know Quetzalcoatl is going to have your heads for this." La Muerte warned.

"Oh he'll never know." Malina waved a hand at her just as Sasha appeared before the group.

"Hi!" The Candlemaker waved at her.

"Hi!" Sasha waved back.

"You know she can't hear yo... Did she just say _hi_?" Mixco suddenly felt a sharp pain on his foot. He winced as he held his sore foot. He looked down at the little girl who was _actually_ glaring at him, to the surprise of the other gods.

"Sasha!" Jane rushed to her friend's side, only to kick Mixco on the shin.

"How..." A shadow loomed over Ehecatl and Xochi. The two gods nervously turned their gaze towards a scowling Quetzalcoatl. The two-headed snake released the two gods and returned to its master's hands.

Just when the two gods braced themselves for the worst, the silence as well, as the mood, was broken by a giggling Sasha who looked like she was running towards La Muerte.

"Sasha! Its so good to see you." The death goddess bent down to hug her, but to her surprise, the little girl ran pass her and hugged Xibalba, much to his shock.

"Hi Balby!" Sasha began climbing the god of death.

"Whoa! Hey! Made of tar! Made of tar!" To his dismay, the little girl made it all the way to the top and hugged him tightly, much to the amusement of his wife. He slowly tried to pull her off but she gave him the biggest puppy-dog eyes ever seen, "Okay first of all; I don't do hugs. Second of all; I've dealt with a lot of kids to ever fall for that trick. Am I patting you?"

To the death god's surprise, his hand patted the little girl's head on its own. Plus he couldn't help but smile and awe at her big wide eyes.

"I don't know you anymore!" The Candlemaker cried. Xibalba just scowled at his direction before handing Sasha to La Muerte.

Ehecatl suddenly felt a sharp kick on his back.

"Are you guys betting on our teacher?" Goth Kid glared.

"How much have you told them?" Ehecatl asked Quetzalcoatl while he rubbed his back.

"Just enough. As long as they keep it a secret." The King replied, "Answer the Question."

"She'll eventually end up with the Manolo of her story." Xochi assured.

"That's no Manolo." Sanjay protested, "That's Joaquin's twin brother who knows how to break a kid's hopes and dream." Xibalba nodded in agreement.

"Nice staff." He complemented, but his own snake staff didn't agree, as evident of the way it hissed at it.

"I take you're not happy about this?" Ehecatl shuddered.

"Actually, things just got a whole lot interesting, as well as amusing around here." Quetzalcoatl grinned, much to the others' surprise.

"You're, actually okay with this?" Xochi asked.

"Of course." He patted both Ehecatl and Xochi's backs before slipping his arms around their necks, "Now, what are the terms?"

By his grin, Ehecatl and Xochi became tensed. They hesitated on telling him what the wager was all about. But then...

"Oh nothing personal or anything." Chalchi blurted, "If either boy gets the girl by the end of _Dia de los Muertos_, then the losing side has to cover for the winning side while the winning side enjoys their off duty until the next Day of the Dead." She grins, much to the shock of the wagering gods.

"Oh good," The King's expression hardens, so did his grip on the two gods, "because if _neither_ boy gets the girl, you'll... Uh..."

As the King thought of a fitting punishment, Joao was levitated next to him so that he could whisper an idea.

"No. Too gruesome." Quetzalcoatl shook his head.

Then Sanjay whispered to him another idea.

"Ew! No! In fact, you're too young for that." A blue snake suddenly appeared on Quetzalcoatl's hand and bit Sanjay on the arm, causing him to faint on the ground.

His friends gasped in worry... until he woke up.

"Uh. What was I just thinking?" Sanjay asked, feeling groggy.

Jane looked at the snake. An idea flashed in her mind. She picked up the snake and walked towards Sanjay.

"Remember my last Birthday Party?" Jane asked innocently.

"Oh yeah. You should have seen your face when... Yaaa!" Sanjay chuckled before he got bitten again and fainted. He woke up seconds later rubbing his head, "Uh, what just happened?"

"Nothing." Jane replied, acting casual as she hid the snake behind her back.

Quetzalcoatl kept pondering... until Sasha whispered to him an idea. It was the perfect punishment that sent a mischievous look on his face.

"If neither boy gets the girl, you'll," Everyone waited in anticipation on the King's declaration, "you have to tell the secret."

"Huh." Ehecatl stood dumbfounded, "That doesn't sound bad."

"_The _Secret?" Quetzalcoatl leaned closer to the two, "Birthday Party? A Ball? Things were getting dull? Your little _get up_? It was so amusing that I was _dying_ to tell..."

"**Noooo!**" Everyone but the 2 death gods and the children cried.

"Oh you mean that time when..." Before the Candlemaker could finish, he was tackled to the ground by Mixco and Malina.

"W-what are we worried about?" Xochi's attempt to remain calm was as futile as Ehecatl's, "She'll forgive them eventually."

As if on cue, Adela passed the group, still with a sullen look on her face.

"Oh yeah. She's really anxious to return to them." Xibalba said sarcastically.

"Can someone lift us up?" Jane asked nicely.

Soon she and Sanjay were lifted from the ground and were brought before Ehecatl. They glared at him before Jane slapped him. Sanjay slapped him as well before the two kids slapped him together at the same time. They turned their glares at Xochi, and just when they were about to strike at her as well...

"Is that a split end?" Jane touched a loose hair strand, causing the goddess to gasp.

"And is that a blemish?" Sanjay peered closer but the goddess shielded her face in shame.

Satisfied, the two smirked as they were lowered to the ground.

"I'm starting to have a newfound respect for children." Xibalba grinned.

Cocoa kept chasing after its owner but then skidded to a halt. He turned his gaze at the gods and growled at them.

"I thought you can't be seen unless you want them to." Joao said.

"To humans. But animals have a different kind of sense." Quetzalcoatl approached the pig, "Go on, little guy. Run back to your owner."

When the pig refused, Xibalba stepped in.

"Allow me." He turned his gaze at the creature, spread out his wings and gave out a menacing roar loud enough for the little guy to speed off after its owner. The priceless look on its face made the death god want to chuckle, "And you said I was getting soft."

For some reason, the way he scared the pig looked familiar to the kids. It was like something they witnessed in a field trip.

Then realization hit Sanjay, "Hey!"

* * *

><p>Cocoa searched frantically for his owner, hoping her warm hug could shake-off that horrifying experience. His ears perked up in happiness upon seeing her at the back of the Museum, leaning on its walls. Once he reached her side, he nuzzled up to her. She scratched his ears in response, but when he looked up, he frowned at the glum expression on her face.<p>

"Now I know how great _Abuela _felt when my Great Grandpapa and Great Grand-uncle fought over her." Adela sighed as she looked up at the stars.

How did it ever end up like this? Years ago, they were best friends enjoying a nice, peaceful camping trip. Few years later, they became a love triangle, if 'Love' had anything to do about it. As children, they would always play pretend as heroes defeating bandits. Now whenever the brothers have time to visit, they would fight like children while she stood by, watching in boredom and annoyance.

She suddenly jolted when a hand touched her from behind. Cocoa growled as Adela turned around, only to come face-to-face with the masked bullfighter.

"I just wanted to see if you're okay." The bullfighter held up his hands in defense.

"Oh. I'm fine." Adela turned away from him a bit, "You can tell them I just need to be..."

"They didn't send me." He quickly replied before she could finish, "They were too busy being pampered by their adoring public. I just wanted to see if you were hurt."

"Oh." Adela turned her gaze back at him, surprised, "Sorry. I just..."

A cold breeze flew by before she could finish. Seeing her cold, the masked bullfighter took off his poncho and placed it on her shoulder.

"Thank you." Adela was surprised by the gesture. She couldn't help keeping her eyes on her rescuer.

"Why do we have to be the ones playing pony?" Mixco asked as Sasha sat atop his shoulder trying to pull his mask off.

The gods teleported a few feet from where Adela was talking to her rescuer. Some were too busy with their luggage to even notice the young mortal.

"You mess with our teacher, you pay the price, Mister." Jane, who was on top of Malina, glared at the war god.

"Last year you were covering her with spitballs." Ehecatl grunted. He landed face first on the ground with Goth Kid on his back.

"She's cooler now." He said before turning his gaze at "old security guard", "And FYI; it was the darkness. Totally caught us off-guard."

"Suuure it was." Xibalba grinned.

"Hey! There's Miss Adela. Hi Miss..." A large golden hand covered Sasha's mouth before she could continue.

"Say. You never told me you had your own pet pig." The masked vigilante bent down to scratch Cocoa on the ear before giving a short whistle, "Clara!"

Time slowed down as Cocoa stared at the pig wearing a dress rushing towards them. The new arrival stopped at her masked owner who scratched her in the ear.

"Clara. Cocoa." He introduced the pigs to each other.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Adela eyed her rescuer suspiciously, "Who are you? Why does it sound like you know me, and how do you even know my pig's..."

Before she could finish, the bullfighter took of his mask, revealing a familiar grinning all-knowing face.

"Julio?" Adela blinked her eyes.

"Julio?" The gods gasped in surprise.

"So this is the first place critter than made my little Clara look like an old, worn out rubber ball." The Museum Attendant winked at Cocoa, "Well, no arguments here. Right Clara?"

The female pig scowled a bit at Cocoa. With her head up, she strutted at his side before seductively flicking his nose with her tail. Surprised, the sombrero-wearing pig turned his gaze at a smiling Clara. In daze, he smiled in return.

"I, almost didn't recognize you," Adela nervously tucked a strand of her hair behind her head, "without the glasses and all. Not that there's anything wrong with your eyes. They look fearsome... I mean..."

The children and the gods' eyes widened at what they just heard.

"I was going to say the same thing. You looked better with glasses." Julio peered closer at her eyes, "Are your eyes always that fiery?" Adela giggled and blushed at the same time.

The children stared open-mouthed. Jane and Sanjay looked at each other and grinned.

"Th-thanks for saving me back there." Adela said, "I never knew you really had it in you."

"Thanks." Julio grinned, "It runs in the family. To be honest; I actually thought you could handle that bull all by yourself. Being Sanchez and all."

"Wow. You do know your history." Adela looked impressed. She suddenly looked down as she clutched the poncho, "Some Sanchez I turned out to be. I couldn't even handle a single bull."

"I'm sure your family will understand." Julio assured, "Besides; those two were idiots to fight over a girl in a moment of life and death. What were they thinking? Kill the bull and then get the girl? At least your great grandfather got the girl without killing the bull. He just sang to it."

"What else do you know about my family?" Adela giggled. She has to admit; even if they just met, and despite his rather creepy all-knowing attitude, Julio was actually fun to be with, (unlike her childhood best friends).

"Hm." Julio pondered for a moment, "Family of bullfighters, your great grandfather and great grand-uncle fighting over a girl, he dies, goes on some kind of quest, brought back to life, became a hero, married your great grandmother and lived Happily Ever After."

"You forgot about the two gods in the story." Adela said.

"Oh. Must have missed that. Guess I don't know everything." Julio joked, "Care to tell me about it? Sanchez version?"

Adela accepted and began telling her great _Abuelo's _story. From afar, the kids sighed as they listened to their favorite story from their suddenly favorite teacher.

"I think we just found our Manolo." Sanjay grinned.

"Julio? Seriously? Julio?" Ehecatl exclaimed, "She can't be with Julio. They just met."

"Plus he creeps us out." Mixco cringed.

"He seems nice." Sasha said.

"Imagine you just met a guy. Total stranger." Malina said, "You say 'hi'. He says 'hi'."

"Well that's not bad." Joao said.

"Then he starts blabbing about your secrets." Chalchi added, freaking out, "Especially about the ones before you were even born."

"Wow. That is creepy." Sanjay said.

"I like him." Xibalba grinned.

"Me too." Goth Kid fist bumped the death god.

"She seems to agree as well." Quetzalcoatl pointed at Adela as she continued telling her story to a laughing Julio.

Cocoa and Clara walked side-by-side. Cocoa suddenly spotted a rose and started to pull it out of the bush. He tugged so hard that he fell on his back, right under Clara's snout. The female pig snort in amusement as Cocoa placed the rose behind her ear.

"I still can't believe your great _Abuelo_ had to go through all that trouble just because of a bet." Julio said after Adela finished her story, "Still, I guess if that never happened, he would never have realized who he really was."

"Plus he would never would have married my great _Abuela_." Adela added, "Then my grandparents wouldn't been born. And my parents. And then, I wouldn't be here, telling you this amazing story. Now that you think about it, I'm glad those gods made that bet. They made my family who they really are meant to be."

Xibalba and La Muerte smiled at this. Quetzalcoatl was right; she really is one special human.

"I never really thought gods were that quite passionate with humans, or to each other." Julio said, "But I guess they can't be all that heartless and bad. They did grant your great grandfather back his life and summoned his dead ancestors to help him defeat the real villain of the story. Plus it's great that they got back with each other in the end."

"Love has its ways." Adela stated.

"You can say that again." Julio agreed. They both stood there smiling at each other, not noticing the immortal figures smiling at them.

"Well, this is an interesting twist in the tale." La Muerte sighed.

"Definitely a Manolo." Xibalba mused.

Both death gods gazed at each other, lost in each other's eyes as they reminisce on that very day their love was rekindled...

"Get a realm!" Ehecatl complained, ruining the moment, "And besides; how can she even trust a guy she just met for one day?"

"I agree with him, for once." Xochi said, "There is a thing called 'Love at First Sight', but a real relationship doesn't start that easily."

"And if that guy was the Manolo of this story, is he tough enough for _this_?" Mixco grabbed Quetzalcoatl's cobra and hurled it right next to the mortals.

"And _that's _another reason why you were sent to this 'dump'." The King of the Gods slapped his face in disbelief.

"SNAKE!" Adela screamed at the sight of the creature before her. Clara snuggled in fear beside Cocoa (to his delight).

"Actually, it's a cobra." Julio picked up the serpent. To Adela's surprise, he whistled a tune, soothing the cobra before settling it down on a tree right next to where its master stood, "There you go, little guy. Now scurry along."

The cobra bowed his head in gratitude before slithering its way towards his master. Quetzalcoatl smiled at Julio as he petted his pet's head. At the same time, the cobra glared at Mixco before slapping him with his tail, knocking him to the ground.

"You okay?" Julio asked a still-shaken Adela.

"Wow. That was... That was... Wow." Adela was at loss for words.

"Yeah. Runs in the family." Julio blushed. Suddenly Adela lost her balance and would have fallen to the ground if it weren't for Julio catching her, "You okay?"

"Yeah. Totally." Adela chuckled nervously, "I mean it's weird. My cousin's usually afraid of snakes. Oh well guess it runs in the family. In _my _family, I mean." She suddenly tripped, causing her to awkwardly fall on top of Julio.

"This looks familiar for some reason." Xochi pondered.

"This is awkward." Adela blushed as the two picked themselves up, "Not that you're awkward. I'm awkward. You're such a charmer. I mean..." Julio just couldn't help but chuckle as he helped her up.

Then, all of a sudden, Ehecatl's eyes widen in realization...

* * *

><p><em>"This is awkward." La Muerte suddenly tripped, but luckily for her, Xibalba was there to catch her. She couldn't help but romantically gaze at his eyes, "Not that you're awkward. I'm awkward. You're such a charmer."<em>

* * *

><p>Ehecatl screamed along with Xochi as they pointed at the two death gods. The expressions on the couple's faces slowly turned from surprised to annoy as the other two gods continued screaming for a long time.<p>

Julio and Adela finally stood up, yet they were still locked in what seems to be an embrace. As the moon glows bright, they couldn't help but stare into each other's eyes.

"So..." Julio suddenly broke the silence, "Uh... Are you..."

"Adela!"

Both heads turned towards the Ortiz brothers. Both stood in shock at what they were witnessing before them. They suddenly glared and approached Julio just when he broke away from Adela.

"Hey Punk, what's the idea messing with our girl?" Miguel threatened.

"For shame!" Juan exclaimed. Julio tried explaining, but his words, along with Adela's, were cut off by more threats.

Having enough of this, Xibalba animated his staff into a two-headed snake. It slithered right next to the brothers who jumped in surprise upon seeing the creature.

"Snake! Adela, let's get out of here!" Miguel grabbed Adela's arm, but glared at his brother who was holding her other arm. The two brothers pulled at opposite directions, arguing on where to go as the snake was inches away from them.

Finally, Adela couldn't take it anymore! She broke free from the brothers' grasps, causing them to fall on the ground. They hugged each other and braced for the worst... until Julio picked the snake up with a branch and placed it on a tree.

The brothers opened their eyes and sighed in relief. They suddenly broke apart in surprise upon seeing each other.

"Thank you." Adela thanked Julio as she was about to take off his poncho.

"You can keep it." He politely told her, "You might need it someday."

"Thanks." She glared at the arguing brothers before storming away, "And bye."

Cocoa waved good-bye to Clara before going after his owner, although the female pig felt saddened about this. Cocoa blew raspberries at the brothers before running off.

Noticing their _friend_ was gone, the brothers went after her, not noticing that she was a few feet behind them, right next to the Museum's Secret Entrance.

"Oh sure." Mixco complained, "I can't threaten humans with reptiles but _he_ can?"

Quetzalcoatl ignored him as his eyes were fixed at Adela. The mortal was feeling the sides of the wall, as if she was looking for the passageway. Just when she was about to give up, the feather on her necklace glowed. She suddenly felt the wall moving. She turned her gaze back to the wall, and there was the Entrance to the Secret Room. She glanced around before stepping inside along with Cocoa. The Book of Life hovered before Quetzalcoatl before vanishing in a ray of light.

* * *

><p>The hallway was dimly lighted with rows of torches embedded on both sides of the walls. Adela wondered if there were there before. Cocoa walked closer to his owner, making sure she was safe. Adela suddenly saw the faint light of the very room she went through earlier and hurried towards it. Once she reached the entrance, her eyes widened in surprise;<p>

In the middle of the room, where the mural of the gods once stood, was a different mural depicting 3 warriors, a woman and 2 men, defeating a bandit giant. To say Adela was at lost with words when she saw how well the artwork captures the ferocity and bravery of her ancestors.

As she and Cocoa walked towards the mural, she began to notice the artwork decorating the walls of the room; all of them depicting her family history. It showed how her great grandfather, great grandmother and great granduncle first met as kids. It showed how her great grandfather died only to be brought back to life. It showed the deceased Sanchez ancestors fighting an army of bandits.

Just looking at these paintings made her feel she was in their place.

The gods and the kids watched from afar as the two made their way towards the far edge of the room were the Book of Life laid on its pedestal right below the giant central mural. The kids hid behind the entrance so that their teacher wouldn't notice them while the gods stood in front since their powers prevented her from seeing them.

Adela touched the edge of the Book and flipped open it cover. It immediately landed on Manolo's story on the part where he finally married the Love of his Life. She turned her gaze at the opposite page showing the two death gods in each other's embrace.

"At least you guys got your Happily Ever After." She sadly said. (Then she began to sing.)

She wished she didn't have to choose between her childhood best friends. She wish others would stop pushing her into choosing either of the brothers. She wished she could go back to the time when they were kids; fighting with their toy swords, playing Hide-And-Seek, eating her _Abuela's _chili which her mother usually forbade her to do...

She also wished her grandparents were here with her. She wished there were there by her bedside, telling her stories, singing her a song or dancing with her.

As her beloved pet pig comforted her, she wished she could go back to the way things were. But they remained nothing more but distant memories.

"WHO ARE WE KIDDING?!" Mixco cried as he, the other gods and children watched with tears in their eyes (although Xibalba was trying to hold in his).

"We can't bet on a sweetheart!" Chalchi bawled on Yoti as he sadly played the violin.

"There you are." Adela turned around, only for her to come face-to-face with her cousin.

"Oh. Hey." She greeted rather glumly.

"So this is where you've been hiding." Clavel scanned the entire room, "You know everyone was worried sick about you."

"Oh. I, just needed a place to think. That's all." Adela turned her gaze back at the mural, not noticing a black, white and grey snake appearing on Clavel's hand, "Sometimes I just wish I could get away and..." She suddenly felt a sharp pain on her feet before collapsing to the floor.

"Granted." Clavel' smirked in amusement as a worried Cocoa tried in vain to nudge his owner awake. When she didn't, he growled ferociously at her 'cousin'.

"Ms. Adela!" 'Clavel' spun around as soon as she heard Sasha's voice. The little blond and her companions had just witness the snake bit Adela's ankle!

'Clavel' just smirk as more snakes entered the room. Unlike Quetzalcoatl's snakes, they were all in the shade of black, white and grey.

"How could you do this to your own cousin?" Quetzalcoatl asked as the snakes began surrounding the group.

"And last time we checked; you were afraid of snakes." Joao held onto the Candlemaker's arms, crept out.

"Why Quetzalcoatl, don't you recognize your own _family_?" A nest of snake swarmed 'Clavel'. They soon dispersed, revealing a towering woman who almost looks like Quetzalcoatl, but she had silver skin and wore a black, white and grey robe. Her gold and silver eyes flashed menacingly as she took off her mask.

"Sister?" The King gasped in surprise.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I actually made up a song for Adela when she was reminiscing but any song you guys can come up will do. Use your imagination. That's what this fiction is all about. <strong>

**=)**


	7. Life and Death

**(A pair of eyes; one gold, the other silver)**

**Tezcatlipoca: Well. This is an interesting scenary.**

**Gina and Tina: Adela!**

**Gina: Don't you want closure?**

**Tezcatlipoca: Two boys, in love with the same girl.**

**Adela: Sometimes I wish I could just get away.**

**Tezcatlipoca: But in a surprising twist...**

**Julio: Whoa! You okay?**

**Adela: Well this is awkward. Not that you're awkward. I'm awkward. You're such a charmer. I mean...**

**Tezcatlipoca: How will this tale turn out?**

**Sanjay: Ms. Adela!**

**Adela: The Land of the Remembered.**

**Sanchez family: Adela!**

**Manolo: The thing about family, is that they never leave your side.**

**(Traveling in a new world, meeting new beings, facing challenges... will our heroes succeed?)**

**The Book of Life: Legends Retold**

* * *

><p>"SISTER?!" The kids cried in unison.<p>

"_You're _the other Ruler of the Gods?" Sanjay asked the silver-skinned woman.

"The one who hate humans so much that you tried killing them?" Joa added.

"But was stopped by your own brother?" Goth Kid added as well.

"You're..." Sasha tried to remember the name her teacher told her, "You're _Tapioca_?"

"**TEZ-CAT-LI-POCA!**" The woman exclaimed, grabbing her doll and tearing its head off, "It's Tezcatlipoca! Get your history straight, Runt!"

Her outburst was enough to make Sasha cry. She ran towards Xibalba and embraced him for comfort.

"What is wrong with you?" La Muerte scowled.

"Oh Lala, I'm sorry I couldn't be there for the happiest day of your lives." Tezcatlipoca mocked as she glared at her brother, "My dear brother had to seal me away for centuries."

"Lala?" The kids asked in surprise.

"How did you get out anyway?" Ehecatl asked.

"Let's just say, when it comes to Love, humans can be so desperate." Tezcatlipoca touched the snake-like amulet on her neck, the same accessory the Mayor gave Clavel. It immediately turned into a real live cobra and slithered on its mistress' arm, hissing menacingly at Quetzalcoatl's cobra.

"Ms. Adela!" Sanjay rushed towards his teacher but was blocked by a row of snakes.

"Uh, uh, uh." Tezcatlipoca waved a finger, "Being sealed away for centuries really worked up an appetite."

"What am I? A full course meal?" All surprised heads turned towards the source of a familiar voice.

Adela sat up groggily only to be licked by a happy and relieved Cocoa. She opened her eyes, and they immediately widened at the sight before her.

"_Ya think she sees us?_" The Candlemaker whispered to Quetzalcoatl, before waving a hand at Adela. Surprisingly, she waved back.

"Hi Adela!" All gods (except Tezcatlipoca) waved at Adela... causing her to faint in surprise.

"Change of plan." Tezcatlipoca told her Cobra.

In a flash, the silver cobra whipped itself and yanked the Book of Life off its pedestal before it could even fly away. It trembled in fear as it was presented before the former Queen of the gods.

"_Hola_, Bookie. Miss me?" Before Tezcatlipoca could even lay a single finger, a black gloved hand yanked the Book off the silver cobra's grasp.

"Aw. Tezy, if you wanted to hear a bedtime story, why didn't you say so?" An airborne Xibalba teased as the kids snickered in amusement.

"Oh Xixi, you big kidder you." Tezcatlipoca sarcastically laughed.

"Xixi?" The kids, once again, asked in surprise.

Mixco hurled a giant boomerang at the goddess, firmly trapping her on a side of the wall. Quetzalcoatl summoned his own army of snakes to battle his sister's. A few of them slithered towards an unconscious Adela only to be stopped by a threatening Cocoa.

"Alright. Alright. No snakes." The golden-skinned god carried the mortal woman in his arms as he, the other gods, the children and Cocoa hurried out of the Secret Room.

Tezcatlipoca grunted before summoning 3 snakes from her hand. The snakes slithered around the boomerang, leaving trails of burn marks...

* * *

><p>The first thing Adela noticed as soon as she woke up was her students and her pet pig looking down at her.<p>

"Oh kids, that must have been one rough bull." Adela rubbed her head to get rid of the dizziness, "For a minute there I thought I was in a viper-infested room with these immortal beings, and..." She stopped abruptly upon hearing a sniffing noise. Her eyes widened at the sight before her.

"She killed Ms. Dolly and called me 'Runt'." Sasha cried on La Muerte's shoulder as the goddess comforted her.

Adela slowly back away in surprise at the sight of the immortal beings before her. She suddenly lost her balance but managed to steady her footing. That's when she realized she was on the rooftop of the Museum Building!

She turned her gaze back at the gods, clearly loss at words. She noticed there was a familiarity with two of the gods, like something she saw in a life-sized book. Then, realization struck her...

"You two aren't betting on which of my two childhood best friends I'm going to end up marrying, are you?" She cocked a suspicious eyebrow at the two death gods.

"No." La Muerte replied.

"They're too idiotic to be betted on." Xibalba added.

"They're no idiots." Adela objected, "They're insensitive morons."

"You're better off with that cute four-eye." Jane stated.

"Julio?" Adela blushed, "What are you talking about? We just met. He's nothing but a friend."

At the sound of _friend_, Xochi fainted dramatically.

"Drama Queen." Ehecatl rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"We didn't say it was _Julio_." Sanjay grinned as the kids giggled.

Adela scowled a bit before feeling something nudging her from behind. She turned around. Her eyes immediately widened in surprise at the Book of Life floating in front of her. It opened itself, showing a picture of a a family, her family. It flipped its pages, showing a picture of Adela when she was younger, along with her two best friends. On the opposite page was a picture of her and her grandparents. The page flipped, this time showing Adela the time she got lost in the woods and got saved by a familiar golden-skinned immortal. Realization dawned her as she sensed someone behind her. She turned around and came face-to-face with the King of the Gods.

No doubt about it; his voice, his robe, and even his snakes proved that he was the same man who helped her find her way back safely. She tried to thank him, but she was too flustered to let the words flow out of her mouth. Still, the King smiled at her as if he was reading her mind. (Gods can do that, right?) She smiled in return. Then, another realization struck her...

"Were you kids spying on me?" Adela cocked a suspicious eyebrow at her students.

"No!" The kids quickly replied.

"We weren't spying on you and Julio." Sanjay added, only to realize his mistake.

"Who's Julio by the way?" Jane quickly fibbed, but their teacher wasn't buying it, "What were we even talking about?"

Suddenly, Quetzalcoatl's cobra whipped itself pass Adela's shoulder, colliding with Tezcatlipoca's cobra. The two wrestled each other, biting each other at the same time before dissolving into thin air.

"And I thought family reunions were supposed to be happy." The silver-skinned goddess summoned another snake in her hand before letting it bite Adela on the leg.

The woman flinched in pain, but she didn't collapse just like last time. Frustrated, Tezcatlipoca commanded her snake to bite her multiple times but she remained standing. Suddenly, Adela held up her hand at the snake before lifting it up and letting it bite her arm. Again, nothing happened.

"Nope. Not dreaming." Adela threw the snake away as her necklace caught the snake goddess' attention.

"Ooh. You just love ruffling your feathers at me, do you, brother?" The goddess glared.

Mixco suddenly summoned a giant club in his hands and attacked Tezcatlipoca. The goddess retaliated by whipping at him with another snake, causing him to collide with the roof. Ehecatl took flight hurled his a flurry of feathers at the goddess before summoning a strong gust of wind that blew Jane's sombrero off her head. The other gods followed with attacks of their own.

Provoked, the goddess summoned two snakes from both hands which turned into swords. Quetzalcoatl followed suit and the two clashed while the gods deal with a nest of black, white and grey snakes.

"Back off!" Sanjay cried as a nest snakes slithered towards the kids.

"You don't scare us. In fact; we're not afraid of anything." Goth Kid retorted, "Okay. We're afraid of a lot of things; spiders, giant animals, our principal and this old security guard, but mostly because he was in the shadows. Totally caught us off-guard."

"Suuure it did." Xibalba scowled.

Tezcatlipoca kept fighting her brother. She turned her gaze at Sanjay's staff. A snake coiled itself on the staff... bringing it to life!

The newly animated snake hissed at the kids, causing them to back away in fear... only for them to fall off the roof!

Adela gasped... until Xibalba flew in front of her with the kids in his arms.

"Aww. You like us." Sasha grinned.

"Oh zip it." Xibalba huffed, "I have a reputation to maintain."

"_Yo no se que mas!_" The Candlemaker cried as he crushed two snakes in a bear hug.

"See?" The death god glared at his fellow deity.

The Book of Life hid behind Adela as they, along with a snarling Cocoa, were being surrounded by snakes. One snake lunged at her, but was stopped by Xibalba before dissolving it into ashes.

"Can you do that to our teacher?" Joao asked, only to receive a glare from his teacher, "Our art teacher."

"Mrs. Hernandez isn't ready for the big retirement home underground." Adela scolded.

"She makes us paint our flowers black." Jane complained, "Black."

Whenever they weren't too occupied with the snakes, the gods would launch their attacks at Tezcatlipoca who was still clashing with her brother. She would counter by releasing more snakes and whipping them at the gods. She whipped one snake at Ehecatl and Xochi, binding them together and forming a heart between them.

"Like _hermano_, like _hermana_." Xochi scowled.

Before Quetzalcoatl could strike, Tezcatlipoca whipped one of his swords out of his hand before pinning him to the ground.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for this, brother dear." Tezcatlipoca sneered. But before she could strike, her sword was blocked by another sword before it was flipped out of her hand.

"Would you believe this is the first time I handled a sword?" Adela caught the sword in her free hand before pointing both swords at the snake goddess, much to the surprise of the goddess.

"Get that Book!" Tezcatlipoca commanded her serpents as she continued to clash with her brother.

Frightened, the Book of Life shivered in Adela's arms, making her drop the swords. She ran from the advancing snakes, clutching tightly on the Book. She stopped at a dead end of the roof with nowhere else to go, the snakes a few inches away from her.

"Ms. Adela!" Sanjay waved his arms at her.

Instinctively, she hurled the Book at her student. Sanjay ran, the snakes at his trail. He passed it to his friends as they took turns passing it to each other.

"I picked a bad time to wear a long skirt." Jane complained as she caught the Book.

Cocoa lifted her on his back, increasing their chance of getting away.

"Over here!" La Muerte cried. Jane threw her the Book in response.

The goddess ran with the Book in her arms. To everyone's surprise, she jumped off the roof!

The snakes were surprised and puzzled by this... until Xibalba flew up with his wife in his arms.

"Milady?" He grinned.

"Charmed." She grinned back, the Book no longer in her possession.

"Looking for _this_?" Ehecatl waved the Book at the serpents before throwing it to Yoti.

Yoti, running on all fours, grabbed the Book by his mouth. Mixco grabbed him before a nest of snakes could pounce on him. He groaned in disgust as he pulled the slobber-filled Book off his fellow deity's mouth. A nest of snake slithered towards them, but Yoti was able to subdue them by playing the flute, controlling their every movements. Mixco took this as an opportunity to throw it to Chalchi who kicked it towards Malina who was busy tangling some snakes in spider webs. She in return threw it towards Xochi who was angrily spraying flower pollen on a few snakes for messing her hair.

"Over here!" The Candlemaker cried, waving his arms.

"I have to admit;" Quetzalcoatl grunted as he pushed with his two swords, "For someone who's been sealed for many years, you still got it."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Quetzy!" Tezcatlipoca managed to push her brother to the ground.

Xochi threw the Book at the Candlemaker. The Book missed the Keeper's hands by an inch... and instead landed in Tezcatlipoca's hands!

"It's mine. All the power of the universe, ALL MINE!" Tezcatlipoca cackled to the group's suprise.

Cocoa wasn't giving up that easilly and charged at her. The goddess was only able to open the Book by an inch before the pig snatched it up in his mouth.

"Good boy." Adela patted Cocoa's head as he handed her the Book.

Suddenly, the Book opened, revealing two ripped-out pages to the gods' dismay.

"Looking for _these_?" The snake goddess held up the two torn pages from the Book. One was a picture of La Muerte. The other was a picture of Xibalba. The two death gods immediately backed away in fear and anger.

To the gods' shock and dismay, Tezcatlipoca ripped the two pages in the center. She let the wind blow them away, before they disappeared into thin air.

By the way the two death gods looked like they were going to have a heart attack, things weren't looking good.

"So you ripped up a few bits a paper." Sanjay said, "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Worst than you ever imagined." Tezcatlipoca whipped a snake at Adela, but Cocoa got in the way, causing the snake to bite him instead.

"Cocoa?" A worried Adela knelt down at the fallen form of her beloved pet, motionless. A snake strikes at her, but she didn't feel a single bite.

"Your friends were right;" Tezcatlipoca held Adela's necklace before incinerating it into ashes, "It so classes with your dress." She whipped another snake at the mortal.

Adela closed her eyes as she braced for the worst. When nothing happened, she slowly opened her eyes... and they widened at the sight before her.

The snake lay embedded on Xibalba's chest. The death god grunted in pain as he removed the snake off him, only to collapse on the roof.

"**Xibalba!**" La Muerte rushed to her husband's side and cupped his face with her hands, "No, no, no, no. Don't you dare. Don't you **even **dare!"

The dark god breathed heavily as he tried to focus on his beloved. He suddenly turned his weary gaze at Adela.

"Tell your great grandfather; We're even." He closed his eyes... and disappeared into nothingness.

La Muerte covered her mouth as she tried in vain to hide her teary face. Adela and the kids stood in shock at what happened before them while the gods sadly bowed their heads in respect. Xibalba's snake staff, which he brought to life, dipped both its head lowly to the ground as they mourned the lost of their master.

"Just one more loose end to take care off." Tezcatlipoca smirked, whipping another snake at Sasha.

Despite her loss, La Muerte held Sasha in a protective embrace, letting the snake bite her instead. Sasha looked up at her with widened eyes.

"Be brave _ninos_." The goddess gave one last smile... before disappearing into nothingness, leaving her large sombrero behind.

"Oh no." Adela just couldn't believe it. It all happened so fast.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to do that, Brother." Tezcatlipoca whipped a few more snakes at the kids.

Once bitten, they collapsed one-by-one. Lastly, she whipped one more snake at Adela. The snake bit her leg. She collapsed to the ground. This time, she remained motionless.

Tezcatlipoca's smirk widened as her snakes gathered into one giant serpent. It gathered all the fallen humans and pig with its giant tail.

"No!" Quetzalcoatl cried, but it was too late...

"Ah. That hits the spot. And now for the Book of..." Before she could even touch the Book, it vanished into thin air, "No! Where did you send it?"

"I..." Before Quetzalcoatl could reply, she grabbed him by the collar.

"Bring me that book, or so help me, I'll be helping myself to an All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet!" The goddess threatened before disappearing along with her snakes.

Quetzalcoatl knelt sadly on the ceiling as he stared at the large sombrero and the animated snake staff. How could he have let this happened?

"Curator? Curator?" A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts. He teleported to the stairs of the Museum and appeared in his human form in front of Julio, "There you are. I've been looking for you. I was going to remind you about the preparations for tomorrow."

"Actually, Julio, I was wondering if you could take care of that for me, and a few other things." The Curator-disguised god interrupted before he could finish, "I, have some _family matters_ to take care off."

"Understood, Sir." Julio nodded, "Let's go, Adela." Upon hearing the name, Quetzalcoatl turned his head.

His eyed widened at the sight of the individual and the pig Julio ran towards to. He soon regained his serious demeanor upon noticing that she wasn't wearing the red poncho given to her by a familiar Museum Attendant. His suspicions were further confirmed when "Adela" glanced at him, smirking.

As soon as they left, Quetzalcoatl returned to his godly form.

"That's quite a human you got there." A familiar voice mocked from behind.

"What are you planning exactly?" The god asked, his back turned at his sister.

"Who knows?" The goddess shrugged, petting the snake she animated from Sanjay's staff, "But maybe if I had the Book..."

"I'll deliver it personally." The King assured sternly. The goddess smirked before disappearing.

The god turned his gaze towards his fellow deities. By their expressions, they overheard everything. The Candlemaker sadly held on La Muerte's sombrero. Xibalba's two headed snake sadly slithered around his neck.

* * *

><p>"Adela!" Theresa embraced her "daughter", relieved she was <em>safe<em>. Mr. Sanchez joined them in the embrace.

Once they broke free, they began making their way towards their car. Before they completely left, "Adela" took one last glance at the Ortiz brothers who both waved good-bye at her.

"Thanks for nearly killing me." She whispered, causing them to feel guilty.

"Clavel" opened the door for her "cousin". They both smirked at each other along with "Cocoa" before entering the car. Unknown to them, Julio noticed this and began to grow suspicious, along with a growling Clara.

* * *

><p><strong>Any OC ideas for a few Sanchez family members? <strong>


	8. Family Reunion

"Ms. Adela!"

The one in question opened her eyes. Feeling groggy, she ran a hand on her head and jerked back at what she was seeing;

Her hand... No. Both her hands... No. Both her arms... They looked, skeletal. In fact, they _were really _skeletal.

"Ms. Adela!" She felt a pairs of little arms wrapped around her leg. She glanced down and realized Sasha. The only difference; she was in the same form as her.

She glanced behind her. Her student stood before her, all their flesh gone. Even her beloved pet whimpered at the state he was in. Her realization was interrupted by the Book of Life floating in front of her. It turned her gaze to the scene before them;

A multi-colored city stood before them with skull-themed balloons floating in the air. Music filled the air along with the cheers of its inhabitants.

"The Land of the Remembered." Adela awed as a skeletal being in uniform riding a horse approached the group.

"Welcome to the Land of the Remembered!" He beamed before taking out his clipboard, "Name?"

"Uh... Adela Sanchez." She replied nervously. Suddenly, to her surprise, the Book lifted her up into the air and flew away from the group.

"Well, that's one way to travel." The Captain mused.

"Follow that Book!" Sanjay cried as the kids piled in on the horse and took off with Cocoa following them on foot.

* * *

><p>Adela screamed as she held tightly on the Book of Life, not planning to fall 75 ft. from the ground! She calmed down a bit after noticing how beautiful and colorful the place was. That feeling was short-lived when the Book decided to dive down to an array of floats.<p>

A family danced with joy to music played by a Mariachi band. A few members were eating and drinking. Some were challenging one another to friendly fights. Others were whacking colorful piñatas. Despite the festivities everyone was enjoying, they actually took time to notice the new arrival cruising through the floats via a flying Book.

Adela crash-landed on the ground, colliding with the Remembered who was about to whack a pinata. They both groaned as they rubbed their heads.

"Nice entrance." The other Remembered said in a familiar female voice.

Adela looked up and recognized the dress she was wearing along with her hair style.

"Clavel?" She asked. Immediately, the other woman stared at her wide-eyed.

"Adela?" She gasped.

The two cousins ran towards each other in a warm embrace.

"Am I glad to see you." Adela said as they faced each other.

"But what are you doing here?" Clavel held her hand in worry, "Oh no. Don't tell me..."

"Adela?" Her worries were interrupted by a multitude of synchronized voices. They turned around to see the entire family staring at them in surprise.

"As in Little Adela Sanchez?" One member asked.

"Sweet Little Adela Sanchez?" Another asked.

"Little Swelly-Deli?" Another member asked.

"Grandpa." Adela scowled at the nickname.

"Adela!" The entire family cried. One member lifted her up. Soon she found herself being passed around by the Sanchez Family, her Family.

"The Great Carmelo Sanchez!" She cried upon landing in the mighty arms of her great-great-great-great-great grandfather.

"Oh he's great all right." Another Sanchez pointed at Carmelo's stomach with his sword-replaced arm, "Right over _here_."

"The Talented Jorge Sanchez!" Adela beamed at seeing her great-great-great-great grandfather.

Jorge sang her thanks before Carmelo tossed her to another member.

"The Might El Super Macho Luis Sanchez!" Adela fainted but got caught by her great-great-great grandfather.

"Welcome to the Family!" He pushed her towards her great-great grandfather.

"Of course! The Fearless Carlos Sanchez!" She gushed.

"_Hola_, _mi querida_." He gestures with his arm, "There's someone else who's been meaning to meet yo..." Before he could finish, a group of 5 kids and a pig came flying into the air, screaming.

Luckily for them, a few members of the family caught them in a giant fabric. They remain speechless at the sight before them, as if their favorite story came to life.

"Well aren't you the cutest little Sanchez ever seen?" Adelita Sanchez cooed as she hugged Joao.

"No. This one." Scardelita protested, hugging Sanjay. Both boys blushed, much to the envy of Jane.

"Actually..." Before Adela could explain, Clavel grabbed her hand and dragged her away.

"Are you ready?" She grinned.

"For what?" Adela asked.

The sound of clashing swords caught her attention. She looked down at another float were an elderly couple were clashing with two men and one woman.

"Come on Angelo, you're usually faster than this!" A man with a guitar on his back teased as he clashed swords with the elderly man wearing a sombrero, "Or is old age finally catching up with you?"

"Very funny!" Angelo called back, "Just because I look older doesn't mean I'm not in the same level as you, Old Man! Ow! My back!"

His companion was too busy with the other woman that she didn't notice the other man wearing a sombrero and eye patch stalking at her from behind.

"Rosa, look out!" Angelo was able to push his assailant to the ground and rushed over to her aid.

But before he could reach her, she twirled and kicked the man at his feet, causing him to tumble down to the ground.

"My Hero." She smirked.

Adela just couldn't believe her eyes. Memories flash before her; the stories, the music, the dancing, etc. It's been so long since she last saw them. Oh what would she say?

"Now!" Clavel cried.

The next thing Adela knew, she felt a big hand circling her waist.

The elderly couple and their opponents whirled around to the direction of an ear-piercing scream. Carmelo had Adela by the waist and she was struggling to get out.

"Adela?" Both her grandparents cried in surprise.

"Hi _Abuelo_! Hi _Abuela_!" She greeted cheerfully.

"Silence!" Jorge threatened.

"You cowards!" The woman Rosa was fighting earlier glared in disgust.

"You dare lay hands on an unarmed woman?!" The eye-patch wearing soldier added.

"You want her? Come and get us!" Luis taunted as he and a few other members of the family jumped on the float the five were standing on with Carmelo still maintaining his grip on Adela.

"No retreat?" Manolo Sanchez raised his sword.

"No surrender!" The other four raised their swords as well.

Adela clapped in glee as her grandparents, great grandparents and great granduncle clash with the other members of the family (and since they were obviously playing pretend, she decided to act like a damsel in distress).

From atop the other float, the kids, Clavel and Cocoa watch on in excitement with the Book of Life floating beside them. Whenever one of the "villains" fell, they would cheer. Whenever they use some dirty tricks like striking from behind, they would boo at them.

Maria was too busy dealing with Scardelita to notice her sister about to attack from behind. Luckily for her, her loyal pet pig came to the rescue and tackled Adelita to the ground. Cocoa oinked in delight at his grand pig.

"_Joaquin!_" The eye-patch wearing soldier cried as he leaped into the air, pulling down a huge tarpaulin at his opponents.

Soon, all that was left of the "villains" were Carlos, Luis, Jorge and Carmelo.

"Oh no you don't!" Luis threatened as the "heroes" got closer.

"Come any closer, and the little _senorita _gets it." Carlos added.

The "heroes" hesitated, but eventually backed away slowly.

Adela refused to let this happen. But what can she do? Then an idea occurred to her...

"Oh it's over!" She dramatized, "We're all in the mercy of the toughest and most ruthless bandit in all the land!"

"Hey!" The other three "villains" protested.

"Everyone knows I'm the toughest of the tough!" Luis insisted.

"Oh please! You couldn't even last a day without losing your appendages!" Jorge retorted.

"If anyone's the most ruthless and toughest mercenary in this town it's ME!" Carmelo joined in the argument.

"Can I just..." Adela interrupted.

"Stay out of this." Carmelo dropped her and resumes arguing... until realization hit all four "mercenaries".

"Who are you calling _little_?" Adela twisted her poncho before whipping Carlos' sword off his hand.

She grabbed the sword and swiftly knocked Carlos to the ground. She soon clashed with Luis and Jorge. She swung on a piece of hanging rope and kicked both men to the ground before pointing her sword at Carmelo.

"This one got spunk!" He chuckled. The other Sanchez agreed, impressed by her skills.

"Yeah! That's my cousin!" Clavel cheered.

Adela grinned as she tied her poncho to her waist before handing Carlos back his sword.

"Adela!" Both her grandparents rushed towards her in a loving embrace.

"Oh _Nieta_, it's so good to see you. We..." Rosa suddenly raised an eye ridge at her granddaughter, "Eh? Why you look like that? Did Theresa do this to you? I keep telling her she's too old for dolls."

Adela couldn't help but giggle at her grandmother's complaint as she let her tie her long hair in a ponytail. Same old grandma.

"Oh _Nieta_, look at you, all grown up." Her grandfather wrapped his arms around her before whispering, "_Please tell me you're not still seeing those two idiots who left you in the forest all alone._"

"Not every day, _Abuelo_." Adela smiled. Same old grandpa.

"Miss Adela!" Sasha ran towards her teacher and hugged her feet.

"_Dios mios!_" Angelo cried in dismay upon seeing the kids approach their teacher to congratulate her, "Who did this to you?"

"Relax." Rosa assured him, "They didn't say _Mama_."

"Mommy!" Jane cried teasingly, causing Angelo to faint, much to the amusement of the entire Sanchez Family.

Cocoa rushed towards his pig grandfather and greeted him. He greeted him in return before calling another pig. Both pigs' eyes widened upon seeing each other.

"_Mama?_" Cocoa oinked.

"_Cocoa?_" The other pig oinked back.

"_Mama!_"

"_Mijo!_"

Both pigs ran towards each other and nuzzled each others' nose, happy to see each other.

"Come on, Angelo!" Manolo helped his son to his feet, "This calls for a celebration!"

The entire family cheered. The Mariachi Band played louder as everyone began celebrating once more.

"Bottoms up!" Carmelo carried a large bowl of thick red liquid.

Taking a whiff and recognizing the smell, Adela eagerly grabbed the bowl from Carmelo just when he was about to take a sip. She quickly consume the entire content in one big gulp. After she has satisfied her hunger, she began to shake and turn red.

"She's gonna **BLOW!**" Rosa cried as everyone scattered to find a hiding place.

A huge column of fire erupted from Adela's mouth, bathing the entire area in its glow. Luckily, it died down, after Adela burped one last flame.

At first, the entire family was surprised. Then they erupted in a crowd of cheers.

"Grandma's chili always does its works!" Clavel mused.

"Glad to know someone still appreciates my cooking!" Rosa proudly said.

Goth Kid and Joao dipped their fingers on what was left of the chili bowl. Once they licked the liquid, their mouths erupted into flames. Luckily, a bucket of water was dosed on them.

"Mr. Manolo, can you tell us the story of how you became a hero and married the Love of your life?" Sasha asked with big puppy-dog eyes, causing everyone to go "awe".

"Well, first of all; I wasn't the only hero on that very day." Manolo smiled at his wife and best friend, "It..."

"Can you tell it in a song?" Adela gleefully asked eager to listen to her favorite story as told/sung by her great grandfather.

"You heard the _senorita_." He grins at the Mariachi Band as he began to play a tune on his guitar.

At his cue, the Band began playing a lively tune as he, Maria and Joaquin sang the story of how they were best friends but eventually grew up in separate ways. They sang how two gods betted on which boy would marry Maria eventually leading to Manolo's death. Despite that, he was determined to return to her at any cost. He even had to fight every bull his family killed for generations, but instead of killing it, he asked for forgiveness. The gods granted him back his life. Reunited with his two best friends, they banded together and defeated the Bandit Chakal and lived Happily Ever After... with Maria marrying Manolo, of course.

Soon, everyone joined in the singing and dancing to the music. Some even dressed up and pretended to be the characters of the story.

Adela didn't want to wake up from this Dream Come True as she was twirled around the dance floor by her ancestors. Captivated by the music, she began to sing along and expressed her impression to her ancestors on how their love and friendship conquered all challenges they faced, to their surprise, delight and awe.

Unknown to the family, the gods have just arrived in The Land of The Remembered. Yoti was the first to spot Adela and the Book of Life. He whistles at his fellow deities and gestures (in a dog-like manner) at her.

Quetzalcoatl chuckled at the sight of Sanjay who was being twirled in the air by Anita. She eventually let go of him, causing him to collide with Jane. His expression suddenly turned serious, remembering the actual reason why he was here. As if on cue, something slithered on the float...

The song ended with a few of the family forming a pyramid with Adela and Clavel perched on the top part. It was the happiest moment of their lives. Nothing could ruin the moment...

"So, who's the lucky catch?"

The question caught Adela by surprise that she lost her footing and fell off the pyramid! Luckily, her great grandfather was there to catch her.

"Lucky catch?" Adela flustered, "I-I don't know what you're talking about. What are we talking about?"

"Don't give me that excuse." Rosa grabbed her granddaughter by the shoulders and looked straight at her eyes, "I know that look. You just met someone. Ah. But the connection isn't that far now, is it?" At her statement, the female members of the family began to "awe".

"A stranger?" Angelo exclaimed, "Adela, you know better."

"_Abuelo_, _por favor_." Adela unknowingly accepted a glass of water from a shadowy figure, "We're just friends."

Just when she took a sip, the realization sunk in. She spat in surprise, turned around and screamed at the giant shadowy serpent in front of her!

The snake opened its mouth and strikes at her! But before it could, Manolo blocked its attempts with his swords while Carmelo head-butted it away.

"You okay?" He asked Adela.

"Not for long." Adela fearfully replied.

Everyone turned their gaze to 4 more shadowy serpents slithering on the floats accompanied by a nest of black, white and grey snakes. One snake lashed at Adela, but was stopped by a yellow snake.

"Hold these for us." Quetzalcoatl gave La Muerte's sombrero to Jane and Xibalba's two-headed snake to Sanjay before he and the other deities went head-to-head with the serpents.

The Sanchez family didn't feel at all helpless in the moment, seeing as how they began whacking snakes instead of whacking _piñatas_. Even the kids were helping out by using a few snakes as jump-ropes. To the kids' surprise, Jane wiped out a nest of vipers with a few, yet skillful, kung fu tricks.

Joaquin gave a few, short whistles. Immediately, a skeleton horse came to his aid, carrying him on its back as he slashed his swords on a few serpents.

"Might I have this dance?" Manolo offered his hand to his wife.

"I thought you never asked." Smirking, she grabbed his hand. He swung her around while her feet made contact with the snakes.

"Okay. We're out-numbered." Adela took note of the number of snakes surrounding her and Clavel, "But we can do this. I mean it's not like we haven't been in worst situations before. Right Clavel?"

Clavel trembled with fear behind her cousin. She soon found herself staring at the piercing eyes of the serpents. The way they were looking at her... The way they were hissing at her... The way they were slithering closer to her... Closer... CLOSER...

The entire battlefield was interrupted by a loud, shattering scream. Everyone turned their heads towards the source; Clavel was screaming her lungs out, scrambling around like crazy. The sight of her was just too awkward for anyone to continue fighting (although Luis still managed to punch a weirded-out snake).

Distracted by her cousin's sudden hysteria, Adela didn't take note of the shadowed serpent behind her.

"Adela!" Angelo rushed towards his granddaughter and pushed her out of the way, only to meet the serpent's wide, gaping mouth...

"**ABUELO!**" Adela cried as her Grandfather's sombrero was blown to her side. The rest of her family could only gape in dismay, until...

"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily!" A familiar voice squirmed from inside the snake's belly, trying to punch his way out.

"Get your filthy acids away from my husband!" Rosa charged at the serpent. At first, she managed to evade the first few strikes from its head, only to be consumed as well.

"No!" Adela was held back by Manolo before she could even think about it.

She could only watch in vain as the rest of the shadowed serpents began devouring the rest of the Sanchez family (one tried devouring Clavel, but seeing her in her panic state made it reconsider). Some even risked getting eaten just to save the kids. Soon, the only ones not eaten were Adela, Clavel, the kids, Cocoa, Chuy, Plata, Manolo, Maria, Joaquin, the gods and the Book of Life

"Bring me The Book of Life," One of the shadowed serpents threatened in a familiar female voice, "or your kin will never see the next sunrise."

And just like that, the entire nest vanished in a flash of light.

* * *

><p><strong>A special thanks to Debra for the trailers. Hope the next one will be really interesting. ;)<strong>

**I'm open to ideas people. :D**

**Oh… And in the singing part, I want everyone to reach into their hearts and find their own tune. You might even surprise yourself. ;)**


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